Moussa Dembele’s team mates turned to twitter to salute and celebrate the young Frenchman’s hat-trick against Sevco.
An injury to Leigh Griffiths opened the door to the former Fulham striker who battered the door down and walked off with the match ball for his endeavours.
The only thing that Dembele didn’t pick up was a certain parcel that went to Erik Sviatchenko but a friends’ gain is no loss as Saturday proved.
After his scoring exploits for Fulham and only a development fee being required to prise him away from Craven Cottage the then 19-year-old wasn’t short of interest from Premier League clubs.
When the parcel arrives ???????? pic.twitter.com/pe3uIYghYE
— Erik Sviatchenko (@eriksviat) September 9, 2016
A tasty signing on fee, £50,000 a week and a couple of League Cup appearances could have been collected at any number of clubs but putting his progress in doubt.
The signing on fee from Celtic, who paid a token £500,000 development fee, would have been substantial but the key element was regular first team football plus the chance to work with Brendan Rodgers in the Champions League.
On July 1 Dembele signed a four year deal, upped sticks and headed north with the fact that Rodgers had did the same the key element of the move. No Rodgers, no Dembele.
At 20 years of age the pressure of being thrown in as Celtic’s first choice striker could have been too much but playing alongside Leigh Griffiths and alternating with the former Hibs striker looks a productive route to take.
Saturday’s evidence looks impressive, with his confidence sky high and a greater understanding of his team-mates and opponents there’s bound to be a few more match balls heading towards the new Celtic hero.