Gary Hooper hopes he will be ready to team-up with new strike partner Anthony Stokes as soon as the SPL action resumes a week on Saturday.
The calf injury which the Englishman picked up in the friendly against Blackburn on August 8 was expected to keep him out of action for six weeks.
But the £2.4million summer signing from Scunthorpe has responded well to treatment, and is now aiming to return ahead of schedule.
The game against Hearts on September 11 is the target, when Celtic’s final signing of the window, Stokes, is set to make his debut.
Lennon is confident that, between them, they will form a potent strike force and convert the chances which the team has been creating.
Stokes is on international duty with the Republic of Ireland Under-21s this week, and will find Hooper waiting for him on the training pitch when he reports to Lennoxtown next week.
