Celtic sign Liverpool defender Nat Phillips on loan until January to ease defensive injury crisis

Celtic have moved to ease their injury crisis in defence by signing Nat Phillips on loan from Liverpool until January.

The 26-year-old, who has made 29 appearances for the Reds' first team since coming through their academy, will replenish Brendan Rodgers' centre-back options at a time when Cameron Carter-Vickers, Maik Nawrocki, Stephen Welsh and Yuki Kobayashi are all expected to be sidelined for at least the next two months.

Phillips will compete with Gustaf Lagerbielke and Liam Scales, who both started last weekend's 0-0 draw at home to St Johnstone in the cinch Premiership.

The defender, who has previously had stints on loan at Bournemouth and Stuttgart, told Celtic TV: 'I'm really excited. When I heard about the interest it was one that got me excited.

'There were a few other options that didn't quite make me feel the same as this one did, so I was really keen to get it over the line and I'm delighted to be here now.

'It's such a huge club, the club's aspirations, the level it competes at, the fact that they're in the Champions League this year and the mentality of the club - they want to be winners in everything they do.'

Rodgers, whose side visit city rivals Rangers on Sunday before beginning their Champions League campaign in three weeks, is happy to have added 'defensive support' to his squad.

'We're delighted to bring Nat to Celtic and we're looking forward to working with him in the months ahead,' he said.

'It's been well-documented that it's an area of the team we needed to look at in the short-term due to a number of injuries we have experienced, so we're pleased that Nat will provide that defensive support in the squad.

'Nat arrives with the experience of having played for another huge club in Liverpool and those