DUNDEE, SCOTLAND – MARCH 22: Celtic Manager Martin O’Neill looks dejected at full time during a William Hill Premiership match between Dundee United and Celtic at the CalForth Construction Arena at Tannadice, on March 22, 2026, in Dundee, Scotland. (Photo by Craig Williamson/SNS Group via Getty Images)
Celtic have suffered a huge blow as news breaks that Julian Araujo could be sidelined for the remainder of the season.
The full-back returned to Bournemouth for treatment following the injury he picked up after Celtic’s penalty shootout win at Ibrox. Martin O’Neill has remained tight-lipped about the severity, keeping Araujo out of the last two matches.
Stephen McGowan of The Herald has now confirmed that Araujo faces a seven to eight-week recovery.
The injury has been identified as a quad strain, which rules him out until early May. Whether he will feature for Celtic again this season depends on additional factors, including Bournemouth’s decision on permitting a return.
Despite a season where many signings failed to impress, Araujo has been a bright spot for the Hoops.
Brought in on loan under Wilfried Nancy, he has quickly become a fan favourite thanks to his performances and his infectious celebrations. This has sparked plenty of speculation about his future in Glasgow, with cryptic Instagram posts from Araujo and his cousin fuelling the conversation.
Whether he remains at Parkhead remains uncertain, but his absence now opens the door for Alistair Johnston to make his long-awaited return from injury. Johnston is currently in Canada with his national team ahead of the home World Cup this summer.
Araujo has previously spoken warmly about Martin O’Neill and his experience at Celtic. On the Celtic FC Podcast last month, he said:
“Yeah, I think I’m enjoying it a lot. You can see that I am, I think. They’re letting me play freely, I think. They’re not really giving me much in my head to do. They’re not giving me a lot of specifics. I think they’re just keeping it really simple for me. They know my capabilities. They know what I’m doing.
“I think Martin O’Neill is just very… honest. He knows what he wants, he knows what he’s going to tell you. He’ll tell you if you play bad, he’ll tell you if you play well. He’ll tell you what he doesn’t want you to do!
“But it’s been really good. I’ve been enjoying it, definitely. I think you can see that the squad is also enjoying it.”
Celtic now face the challenge of navigating the rest of the season without one of their most exciting performers, while keeping hope alive that Araujo can return and continue to make an impact.
