Brendan Rodgers has revealed that signing Olivier Ntcham has ended a year long hunt.
Last August as the transfer window was closing Rodgers missed out on bringing in the type of player he felt Celtic’s Champions League campaign needed.
Working on and developing Tom Rogic and Stuart Armstrong is clearly a satisfying part of his job but to cut it at the most unforgiving level requires real quality.
Down the years Celtic’s greatest Champions League results have been built around the will to win and the collective rather than outstanding individuals although a certain Swede and Japanese midfielder provide exceptions.
Even since the Martin O’Neill days football has changed with a demand for peak fitness first followed by ability.
When he sees something that he likes Rodgers rarely holds back, in Ntcham he clearly believes that he has the real deal.
“I have been looking for this type of player for about a year now,” the Celtic boss told the Daily Record. “One of the key things I recognised when I came in was that I needed speed and power in the team.
“We got Moussa (Dembele) in and we got Scott (Sinclair) in and then I felt in midfield, especially at the highest level, it is very important to have a high level of technique with that speed and power.
“With Olivier being 21, like Moussa, he has that hunger to succeed. He is coming to an incredible club, he has got great qualities and this will be a perfect environment for him to develop.”
Rodgers added: “It is hopefully it is a signature that allows us to kick on over the next couple of seasons. I was asked to come here and help Celtic dominate Scottish football and qualify for the Champions League and European football and for that you need players.
“I am so happy with the group I have and they have been amazing and I have confidence in them and you can see the development that has been there, but you still have to add players in.”
Ntcham was left out of the squad that flew to Belfast to play Linfield but is expected to feature at some stage in Saturday’s friendly against Lyon.
