IT is unknown to what extent British culture has influenced Ronny Deila during his time living on this island but presumably when the Celtic manager uttered the phrase “striker light” the other day it wasn’t because he has become a massive fan of Eastenders over the past year or so.

The Norwegian’s thoughts, then, on the Cockney dialect and its usage in popular, long-running soap operas remain unrecorded. Instead, it is the lack of forward options in his Celtic squad that is troubling Deila ahead of this afternoon’s SPFL Premiership match away to Hamilton Accies, the last game before the onset of the international break.

Numerically Celtic are no worse off in terms of strikers than they were last season, if Stefan Scepovic’s paltry contribution can be discounted. Still here is Leigh Griffiths, now Deila’s undisputed first-choice centre forward. Gone is John Guidetti, who started his loan spell last year like a man on a mission before fizzling out just as spectacularly after Christmas. Newly arrived is Nadir Ciftci, yet to make his mark following early-season suspension. Still here but now completely forgotten is Anthony Stokes, who has gone from out left last year to left out entirely this term. How it must hurt the Irishman to hear his manager talk about needing “three strikers” as if he doesn’t exist at all.

Deila, therefore, will continue to look outside his first-team squad as he steps up his attempts to find reinforcements in the forward areas to ease the burden on Griffiths and Ciftci. With the window closed until January, he no choice for now but to focus on those out of contract and Carlton Cole, in particular. The Englishman has been back in Glasgow to try to conclude a deal with Celtic but a minor injury has hampered recent progress. Deila, though, is patient and believes the 31 year-old is worth waiting for, especially as he has no other free agents in mind at this point.

“Centre forward has been a priority position for us for a while but we haven't yet got the man we are looking for at the right price, age and time,” said the Celtic manager. “I have faith in Griffiths and Ciftci but I think we should have three strikers. If we get Carlton in then we have filled that position.

"We will take some time before we make a decision on him. He's out now with a small injury. As I've said before this is not a player who can come in and be outstanding in the first game. He needs time to get match fit and then he can be an important player for us.

"It's important for him to a club where he feels trusted and that he can be an impact in. He wants to be in a club that can win trophies and enjoy football. When I talk with him, that's what he is after and we will see if we get agreement and if it's right for both of us.

"It could be longer than a year deal but we need to see him to get back to the level that he has been before. That's the most important thing. If he can do that, he could be a longer-term player as well. He's 31, he can still have two, three or maybe four years left in his career.”

At the other end of the scale, Deila may unearthed a forward in the Celtic youth academy capable of making the step up. Tales of players who have emerged from Lennoxtown to become established first-team centre forwards have been noticeable largely by their absence in recent years but Deila thinks he may have found one such candidate.

“Are their young strikers coming through the system? Not so many. We have some issues finding them so we don’t have any now. But I see a lot of potential in Luke Donnelly. He is a late bloomer, 6 foot 3 tall, very technical with a good attitude and a good understanding of the game. He has the possibility to be a good number nine.”

For the time being, though, Deila is happy to muddle on with the two he has at his disposal. Griffiths’ metamorphosis from fringe forward to regular goalscorer has been quite dramatic and Deila is very thankful for that.

"He's getting better and better. He can still be better at holding the ball up and in linking up with the midfielders and wingers, but he's busy, there's something happening around him all the time. Against Hearts [last weekend], he had five chances on his own and a lot of those chances are because he's always on the run, always sniffing after goal chances and his left foot... I haven't seen a much better left foot in my life.”

The picture is not so rosy right now for Ciftci with the Turk having scored just once since a £1.5m summer transfer from Dundee United. A six-game league ban did not help but Deila revealed the player is still settling into the club and learning a new routine.

“He had a bad start with the suspension. And there have been a lot of changes for him in the way that we work, the way we are thinking, and in his role. So he is still in a phase where he has to adapt to things and get used to them. It’s my job to get him focused in the right way and get him thinking how we want him to think. And we have some work to do on that.”