Deila: I’ll turn Allan into a first team starter

Ronny Deila believes that Scott Allan has the natural ability to hit the big time.

The midfielder signed a four year contract with Celtic on Friday and faces a massive task to break into the Celtic side.

Stefan Johansen, Kris Commons, Gary Mackay-Steven, James Forrest, Stuart Armstrong, Nir Bitton, Scott Brown, Callum McGregor, Tom Rogic and Charlie Mulgrew are all fighting for five places in Deila’s starting XI.

Forcing his way through that pool of talent looks like a daunting task but the Celtic boss believes that some high tempo training can help the 23-year-old force his way into top team action.

“It is not as if Scott Allan is going to come in here and be the king from the first minute,” Deila explained. “Nobody is expecting that.

“I don’t think he will go straight in. He is a young talented player who needs to get used to what we are used to doing and get up to the tempo.”

Deila added: “I spoke to him before we signed him, we need the right personality, that is the most important thing.

“We know he has talent. It is about wanting to sacrifice everything to be the best and have that ability to learn and he was very, very keen to come to Celtic.

“I have looked at him for a while. He has great talent and the ability to make the final pass and be creative in the last third of the pitch.

“That’s what we need more of in the team and he will get better in our environment.

“Every player who comes in is competition (for others). It is a high level but we wouldn’t have brought him here if we didn’t think he could reach it.”