Brendan Rodgers will begin Celtic’s pre-season with a reduced group this week, as a large number of first-team players are still to join up.

With Friday’s friendly against Queen’s Park fast approaching, the Irishman is set to rely heavily on younger players and fringe squad members looking to make an impression.

Celtic’s number one, Kasper Schmeichel, is yet to report after earning his 114th cap for Denmark in a convincing win over Lithuania. The veteran keeper had been an unused substitute in the earlier clash against Northern Ireland.

Meanwhile, Viljami Sinisalo has not yet returned after spending recent weeks as back-up for Finland behind established first-choice Lukas Hradecky.

In defence, Alistair Johnston is still to join up after Canada’s Gold Cup campaign came to an end earlier today. Given the timing of their elimination, the right-back will be one of the last players to report back for pre-season.

Cameron Carter-Vickers, although not involved in the USA’s recent fixtures, hasn’t linked up with the squad yet. Maik Nawrocki, who saw limited minutes last season, is another absentee, with talks ongoing regarding a loan move.

Liam Scales and Adam Idah have yet to report after representing Ireland in their recent internationals. Scales made a substitute appearance against Senegal, while Idah played in both games without getting on the scoresheet.

Fellow Scots Anthony Ralston and Kieran Tierney are also still to join up, having been granted extra recovery time after international duty.

Portuguese midfielder Paulo Bernardo is yet to rejoin the squad following his record-breaking 32nd appearance for Portugal’s Under-21s at the European Championship. Reo Hatate and Daizen Maeda have not yet returned to Lennoxtown, with Hatate continuing his recovery from injury and Maeda undergoing post-season rehabilitation.

Jota is sidelined long-term after suffering a serious knee injury that will keep him out until 2026. The winger is currently undergoing rehab in Portugal.

Luis Palma hasn’t linked up with the squad yet. Although he picked up medals in both Scotland and Greece last season, the winger remains with the Honduras national team, who are still competing in the Gold Cup.

Similarly, Marco Tilio, fresh from lifting the A-League trophy with Melbourne City, is yet to report as he remains with the Australia squad and featured against Saudi Arabia.

South Korean winger Hyunjun Yang is still to join up after featuring in World Cup qualifying. He came off the bench in a win over Kuwait and made a ceremonial appearance at former club Gangwon FC during the international break.

With so many first-team players not yet returned, this week’s fixture against Queen’s Park will give several lesser-used players a rare platform to impress. Rodgers will be closely watching those on the fringes, knowing some may need to step up in the early stages of the new campaign.