Former Celtic striker turned pundit Chris Sutton remains unconvinced by the summer signing of central defender Auston Trusty. Despite the defender’s £6 million price tag, Sutton has questioned whether Trusty can fill the void

The American defender Auston Trusty joined Celtic on transfer deadline day for £6 million from English Championship side Sheffield United, as part of the Hoops’ summer recruitment.

Auston Trusty had to bide his time for an opportunity in the squad, but following a significant injury to star center-back Cameron Carter-Vickers, he has stepped up and started Celtic’s last five competitive matches.

After returning from international duty with the USA, the 26-year-old Trusty started for Celtic again yesterday in their disappointing 2-2 draw with Aberdeen. However, Chris Sutton remains unconvinced by the defender, expressing several concerns about Celtic’s backline in Carter-Vickers’ absence. Sutton addressed these defensive issues during his segment on Sky Sports this morning, highlighting the need for improvement in Trusty’s performances.

“I think there are concerns mainly because Cameron Carter-Vickers, their rock, the best defender at the club, hasn’t been there for a while,” Sutton said. He emphasized that Carter-Vickers’ absence has left a significant void in Celtic’s defense, raising doubts about the team’s stability and performance without him.

“Every time Celtic take the field and he’s not playing, I worry. They’re not the same defensively,” Sutton continued. “Trusty has come in with big shoes to fill—I’m not so sure at this moment in time that he’s filled them adequately.” His comments reflect a growing concern about the impact of Carter-Vickers’ absence on the team’s defensive solidity and Trusty’s ability to rise to the occasion.

In fairness to the former Arsenal man, Auston Trusty isn’t playing on his preferred side of center-back, which makes it challenging to fully assess his performance. It would be more appropriate to judge Trusty when he has the opportunity to play as a left-sided center-half alongside his fellow countryman, Carter-Vickers.

With the player nicknamed “Fridge” by his Celtic teammates nearing a return from injury ahead of Wednesday’s match against Atalanta, it remains uncertain whether Trusty will retain his place in the starting lineup.

One thing is certain: if Cameron Carter-Vickers makes his return midweek, Brendan Rodgers and his squad will receive a significant boost ahead of the challenging European tie on the road. His presence would greatly enhance Celtic’s defensive stability and overall confidence as they face tough competition in the upcoming match against Atalanta.