Martin O’Neill has revealed that Celtic are working on a long-term plan to get the best out of Camilo Duran.
The manager identified the Colombian player's strongest position and is keen to maximise his potential.
Duran is available for Thursday night's Europa League opener against Ferencvaros, having missed training due to visa arrangements after being called up to the Colombia national squad.
Ahead of Celtic's European opener, O’Neill said that they are still trying to make the most of Duran's abilities after deploying him in various roles. He said: "I think his best position is either centre-forward himself or just off the centre-forward.
"So it's up to us now in the course of the next few months to develop ways, that's what we're there for, to develop ways to get the very best out of him if that's the case."
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The Celtic manager emphasised that the team cannot be built around one player but acknowledged that they are actively looking at ways to help Duran reach his full potential.
O'Neill said: "That's up to us; we'll try and devise a way over the next few months to try and do that, so that the rest of the season, when this international break is over, that we try and find a way just to win football matches with our best players on the field."
The 74-year-old manager cited Henrik Larsson as an example of a player who always put the team first, regardless of his position. "It was never the case here way back some years ago when one of the great players, Henrik Larsson.
"Henrik Larsson never came into my room to ever ask about where he was going to play or what he wanted to do; as long as he was starting in the game, that was what he wanted to do."
O’Neill also suggested that Duran has shown a similar willingness to adapt, although he accepts that every player has a preferred role. He added: "Well, he did say a couple of weeks ago that he didn't mind where he played, but people do have their preference for positions.
"Eventually that's what we want to do; we want to try and evolve as a team. We've got some new players in the side that are still settling down."
