Celtic have been dealt a blow ahead of their next four games because winger Hyun-jun Yang has departed to play for his country at the Asian Games.

The South Korea international will not be available for any of the club's next four competitive matches, including a Glasgow derby next weekend, whilst at the tournament.

This comes as a particularly frustrating blow for Martin O'Neill off the back of the winger's winning goal against away at St Mirren on Saturday night in the Scottish Premiership.

Yang has scored two goals in his last two matches in the top-flight, and the natural alternative to him, Sebastian Tounekti, does not offer the same threat in front of goal.

Why Celtic should not replace Yang with Tounekti

In the 2-1 win over the Saints, the Tunisia international came off the bench to play on the left flank and missed a one-on-one with the goalkeeper, rolling the ball wide of the post, whilst he also failed to compete either of his attempted dribbles.

Tounekti has now gone 15 matches without a goal in the Premiership for the Scottish giants. His last goal in the division came in a 3-2 win over Kilmarnock back in February. Meanwhile, his last assist in the league came in a 3-1 win over Falkirk in April.

The 24-year-old winger is too often about style rather than substance. In the 2025/26 campaign, he averaged more completed dribbles (1.6) than key passes (1.4) per game in the league.

Meanwhile, Yang has scored ten goals and created seven 'big chances' in the Premiership since the start of last season, which shows that he is far more impactful in the final third and has substance to his play.

That is why O'Neill should look elsewhere in the squad for a replacement for the South Korean star whilst he is at the Asian Games, as Tounekti has yet to prove that he can be relied upon as a starter.

How Celtic can replace Hyun-jun Yang

There are other players who could be called upon to feature on the left wing over the next four matches, and there is one star, in particular, who could thrive by being unleashed in a new role on the flank.

Celtic swooped to sign Shim Mheuka on a season-long loan deal from Premier League giants Chelsea towards the end of the summer window, and he has already made an impression on the supporters.

The 18-year-old talent has come on as a substitute for Camilo Duran in the centre-forward position in the last two Premiership matches and was unfortunate not to secure his first goal for the club against St Mirren.

Mheuka raced through on goal and slotted the ball past the goalkeeper at the near post, before the referee was called over to VAR to make a subjective offside call because they could not accurately draw a line on the defender.

The teenage striker, who was described as "outrageous" by U23 scout Antonio Mango, could end up finding himself playing in a new role because of Yang's absence, though, as he could excel on the left flank.

With Kasper Hogh due to return from injury in short order, minutes may be hard to come by up front. That means that he could get in the team by being an option on the wing as a right-footed player who has played out wide at youth level.

The England youth international was a prolific goalscorer for Chelsea at U18 and U21 level before making his senior breakthrough, and the Hoops saw a glimpse of his goalscoring potential with his disallowed strike against St Mirren.

Whilst he is a natural centre-forward, Mheuka could fill in for Yang as a better option than Tounekti out wide because he has goalscoring instincts and could attack crosses that come in from the right side of the pitch.

Haissem Hassan attempted nine crosses and created one 'big chance' in the win over the Saints, whipping in one delivery to the back post that Yang failed to convert from close range.

Having Mheuka, who is a natural finisher and goalscorer, attacking those inswinging crosses from the Egypt international could add another dimension to Celtic's attack and offer them something that playing Tounekti there would not.

Whilst he is not a wide player who is likely to carry the ball and beat players, like Tounekti, Mheuka could rely on Hassan carrying the ball up the pitch on the other side, focusing on getting into position to score at the back post to support Duran or Hogh.

Therefore, unleashing the Chelsea loanee in a new role on the left wing could be the ideal way to replace Yang over these next four matches, rather than playing the underperforming Tounekti.