For a player who nearly left Celtic in January, Yang Hyun-jun has become an essential figure for the Scottish champions. Initially close to moving to Birmingham City at the start of the year, the South Korean winger stayed at Celtic when Martin O'Neill returned for his second stint as manager. His contributions were crucial in helping the team secure a league and cup double. As a result, the 24-year-old agreed to new contract terms in the summer and has started the current season with the same form that marked the end of last season. However, Yang will miss Celtic's next four matches while participating in the Asian Games. His absence will be felt, as demonstrated by his crucial goal in Saturday's 2-1 win against St Mirren, which was his second goal of the season—following a goal in Wednesday's victory over Aberdeen. Captain Callum McGregor acknowledged Yang's importance, stating, "He is a really important part of the team. He's a big player to miss, but obviously we wish him the best." Yang’s performance statistics highlight his growing influence: two goals and an assist in seven games this season. Last season, he scored 10 goals and provided three assists. As width is a key element in Celtic's current strategy, Yang would typically be the automatic choice on the left flank, except for his international duties. South Korea is set to face Qatar and Saudi Arabia in Japan later this month. Celtic's upcoming schedule includes a league match against St Johnstone, a League Cup quarter-final clash with Rangers, a Europa League game against Ferencvaros, and a home Old Firm derby. Sebastian Tounekti replaced Yang in Paisley and missed a chance similar to the one Yang capitalized on. However, Tounekti has shown his value with eight goal involvements last season and a goal and assist in a recent cup win. This depth in the squad helps mitigate the impact of Yang’s absence, although there may be a noticeable dip in performance. Celtic also hope to see Jota return soon after the Portuguese winger suffered a long-term knee injury in April 2025. BBC Sportsound pundit Rory Loy expressed confidence that Celtic aim to win the treble this season, noting that the squad is strong. Former Celtic goalkeeper Pat Bonner praised the team's high tempo and the impact of the substitutes, saying, "They're going in the right direction."