Neil Lennon is ready to integrate Marian Shved into his plans at Celtic, according to Football Insider.
The Ukrainian international has made just one appearance for the Hoops since signing over the summer, but it is understood that he has made a “big impression” on his manager nonetheless.
And the report suggests that the Bhoys’ boss is ready to hand the 22-year-old a “major role” for Celtic after the current international break.
Does Shved deserve a bigger role?
On the basis of what we as spectators have seen, it’s incredibly hard to posit a full-informed opinion.
The 22-year-old has barely featured since he arrived from Karpaty Lviv over the summer, amassing just 20 minutes in a hooped shirt thus far.
To be fair to the winger, he did manage to score during that brief cameo, bagging the second in a 2-0 Champions League qualifying win over Nomme Kalju FC back in July.
Even then, it is hard to know what to make of that goal.
On first inspection, it was an absolute corker, whipped and curled in to the top bracket from the edge of the box with enough skill and conviction to get Celtic fans salivating over what else Shved might be capable of.
That being said, his strike did come in the 93rd minute of a second leg tie to make the score 7-0 on aggregate.
How much can really be gleaned from a single goal, no matter how good it is, against beleaguered opposition in those conditions? Probably not too much.
Lennon gets to work with him every day, however, and he has clearly seen something that fans haven’t had the privilege of witnessing regularly just yet.
The Hoops aren’t exactly short of options out wide, with James Forrest, Mikey Johnston, Lewis Morgan, Jonny Hayes, and Mohamed Elyounoussi all to choose from, and the fact that Lennon is willing to chuck Shved into that mix should be a clear indication of how much talent the young man has.
There’s no saying that he will be a nailed on starter anytime soon, of course, but at the very least, this report would suggest that he is on the right trajectory at Parkhead.