Brendan Rodgers won’t set a date for Kouassi Eboue’s Celtic debut.
The hoops boss moved quickly to sign the midfielder as soon as the January transfer window opened- committing £2.8m to the deal and pushing through an application for a work permit.
The 19-year-old hasn’t completed a season of first team football at Krasnodar but almost instantly the Celtic boss wanted to sign the midfielder who impressed on video.
After joining up with his new team-mates Eboue spent part of his weekend in hospital being tested for malaria.
The £2.8m midfielder will watch tonight’s match against St Johnstone from the stand with Rodgers prepared to bide his time until the new bhoy is fully fit and ready for his debut.
“He wasn’t one I was going to bring in and pitch straight in to the side,” the Celtic boss told The Sun. “He was always going to take time to adapt to the country and fitness.
“He has not played for a while. He has done a little training and was in Dubai with us, but there were some restrictions with his work permit and stuff.
“He has done some work here but I am not putting a timeline on it right now. We’ll see how he is. The team is doing really well, but he will make it very competitive for places.”
Tom Rogic will still be absent through injury tonight but Erik Sviatchenko will return from suspension giving Rodgers a big selection to make in defence after his praise for Dedryck Boyata after the win over Albion Rovers.