Brendan Rodgers expects Kouassi Eboue to make an instant impact on Celtic.
The hoops boss is hopeful that a work permit will be granted this week allowing the 18-year-old to join in training and prepare for his debut.
Rodgers wasted no time getting that deal underway after getting impressive reports about Eboue’s rapid development in the Russian League.
The teenager made a big impact in Krasnodar’s Europa League campaign with Rodgers looking towards next season’s European campaign with his first January signing.
“Eboue can come into the team now,” Rodgers told the UAE based National. “He’ll just need a little bit of time to adapt but I took him at 19 as one who will come straight into the first-team squad and who will come in and show he has the qualities to play.”
Explaining the players qualities the Celtic boss added: “Firstly, he plays with intensity, he’s aggressive, he presses the game well, has a good tactical understanding for a young player and he’s technically very strong. And he’s got big potential to improve.”
As well as bringing players in Rodgers is hoping to move some on during the remainder of the transfer window.
A number of Ronny Deila signings are sitting on long term contracts with Rodgers finding it difficult to move players on.
Efe Ambrose and Kris Commons will be out of contract at the end of the season but Dedryck Boyata and Nadir Ciftci aren’t yet at the halfway points in their four year contracts.
Rodgers added: “This window takes on a great deal of importance for Scottish football and Celtic because you’re looking to try to prepare for European football since you’re so fast into qualification.
“So if you can get the players in in January to adapt then great. But if they don’t come in, OK, we’ll wait until the summer.
“There’s going to be players who leave this window, because they want to play football and I respect that.”
Within a fortnight of returning to action Celtic will face St Johnstone, Hearts and Aberdeen at home.