Brendan Rodgers has clarified that he will attempt to sign another defender in the January transfer window.

Celtic have had a defensive nightmare since the season began with Erik Sviatchenko, Dedryck Boyata and Jozo Simunovic all injured at key moments.

Rodgers was forced to go into critical UEFA Champions League qualifiers and games with Nir Bitton deployed as a centre-half because of the defensive headaches posed by the lack of personnel.

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However, he has confirmed that the club will be on the look-out to add to the existing squad when the transfer window re-opens in January.

“There is no doubt, for sure, we need to get another centre-half and that’s something we are looking at,” said Rodgers. “We have really good centre-halves – but you need to have them available.

“And availability is one of the huge things for me. A player needs to be available to play games.

“So there is no doubt it’s a position we are looking at.

“It’s something where, hopefully, going forward we won’t have the same issues we’ve had over the last couple of pre-seasons which have been difficult for us.”

And Rodgers was also defensive of the contribution made by Bitton.

The Israeli internationalist was criticised on the back of some of his defensive displays something that Rodgers bristled at.

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“I know there has been a lot of talk about Nir Bitton, but Nir Bitton has been brilliant for me over the course of these games,” said the Celtic manager.

“We all knew he was a midfield player but we were in a position where we had to try to find a way to get through into the Champions League.

“He did exceptionally well in some of the games, even the last game against Bayern Munich, when he was absolutely outstanding.

“It doesn’t take away the fact we will still look for a centre-half, but what he did for us…

“I just felt that some people were looking to confirm their own bias towards him, in relation to him not being a centre-half.

“In doing so they actually forgot the brilliant job he did for us over the course of that campaign.

“But we want to continue strengthening the squad and want to continue in this moment as Celtic supporters and continue with this success.”

Rodgers also revealed the difficulty of trying to get the right players into the club when he has been down defensively.

Read more: Peter Lawwell tells Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers "there isn't anyone I'd rather have in world football"

“I’ve been here two pre-seasons now and over the course of those two we’ve had to rejig our defensive line because of injuries and it’s not ideal, that’s for sure,” he explained at the club’s AGM yesterday.

“What you always have in your mind is to see the extent of the injury and how long the player is going to be out.

“And, two, what has been quite unique in terms of the last two pre-seasons we’re had – maybe three – down at the same time.

“Then you have to ask the question, okay, if we want to get another one in you have to look at the availability of the player and ask, ‘is he going to come straight in?

“Last year we were able to go and get Kolo Toure. Kolo was an experienced player, 35 years of age and I knew him well.

“I knew he wouldn’t last the whole season but he was able to come in and help us through beginning of the season until some of the other guys got fit. But there are not too many Toure’s about.

“If you bring in a young player on a loan for example he might have no games in his legs coming into the pressure of here, which can dwarf a player. We are playing some of the biggest games of the season in the Champions League.

“Or do you rejig it about and make the best of what you have?”