Celtic striker Leigh Griffiths to return to club this week

Celtic have confirmed striker Leigh Griffiths will return to the club this week to commence "fitness and performance work" at Lennoxtown.

Griffiths, who has not featured for Celtic since December 8, returns after taking a near four-month break from the sport due to personal issues "outside the football environment".

A statement released by the Scottish champions on Wednesday, read: "Leigh will be working at Lennoxtown, in conjunction with the club's medical and sports science staff, with a view to returning to training with the first team in the future.

"The ultimate aim for both Leigh and the club is for Leigh to get back to training and playing with the first team, but that will take time."

Griffiths thanked Celtic and the club's fans for their support during his time away from football.

"I am so grateful to the club for everything they have given me and the way in which they have supported me so strongly," he said.

"The Celtic supporters, too, have been a huge source of inspiration and strength for me and I want to thank them all sincerely for staying with me.

"I know it will be a long road back but I am ready to do all I can to get there."

Hoops boss Neil Lennon is reluctant to put a timescale on a possible first-team return for Griffiths.

"We are really pleased that Leigh will be looking to get things going again at Lennoxtown and be making a phased return to training," said Lennon.

"In no way will we put any timescale on a possible return to the first team. Instead, we will make sure we work with him on the best, most productive way forward.

"He will really be focusing on his own programme at the moment and then we will see what progress we make from there.

"We will not rush him in any way and we will allow him, of course, to take things slowly and at the pace he is comfortable with.

"As the club has been doing throughout the last period, we'll continue to give Leigh every support to make sure that his health and well-being are our number one priority.

"We'll work with him to ensure he has everything he needs to give him the chance to get back to where he was, but understanding totally that he will need time and space.

"It will be great to see him back, even at this very early stage, and we'll make sure we give him our total support."