CELTIC have announced this afternoon that Ryan Christie has signed a new three year contract at the club. The 23 year old midfielder has been in sensational form since coming into the side at half-time at Murrayfield in the Betfred Cup semi-final against Hearts. He hasn’t looked back since then and has now been rewarded by the club with this new deal.
It’s official, Celts! ????
✍️ Ryan Christie has signed a new three-year deal with #CelticFC!
➡️ https://t.co/JcCxtfJSXW pic.twitter.com/PFqRLeAAK6
— Celtic Football Club (@CelticFC) November 12, 2018
Ronny Deila signed Christie from Inverness Caley Thistle in the summer of 2015 and the player remained in the Highlands on loan for the rest of that year before joining up with his Celtic team-mates in January 2016. He made his debut that month against St Johnstone and played in a handful of games, scoring in Ronny’s last match in charge against Motherwell at Celtic Park in a 7-0 victory.
Brendan Rodgers wasn’t convinced that he had the bulk to play for Celtic at that stage and organised a loan period at Aberdeen under the watchful eye of Derek McInnes. Christie won the Dons fans round, which looked like it was going to be tricky at the beginning after his earlier comments about them and sheep came to light. He soon won them round though.
He joined up with Celtic over the summer but still looked a bit player and one that Brendan Rodgers was not fully convinced by – despite the lack of chances. When Dembele was sold to Lyon on the last day of the transfer window, no replacement was brought in due to the timing of that deal, and Christie came on for a few substitute appearances as the club’s third choice striker.
But he’s a midfielder – a number 8 – and when Olivier Ntcham had to go off injured with the game goalless, Christie came on and transformed the afternoon and his own Celtic career in a very special 45 minutes. That form has continued into the following games and he looked every inch good enough to play against the German side RB Leipzig last Thursday, in a match that he set up the dramatic winning goal.
Brendan Rodgers has bemoaned the loss of quality in Stuart Armstrong and Paddy Roberts and the failure of the club to sign summer target John McGinn from Hibs.
Yet with Roberts cutting short his loan deal in Spain there must surely be an opportunity there for Rodgers to bring him home? Paddy could effectively replace himself!
As for a replacement for Armstrong, The Celtic Star ran a poll last week and we asked supporters to choose, on footballing ability reasons only, which player from a choice of three – Armstrong, McGinn or Christie they would prefer to play in The Celtic midfield…
Here’s the question we want you to answer.
You have a choice of 3 Scotland international midfielders and you can only select ONE to play for Celtic.
Who do you choose? Who did your fellow supporters choose?
Loading ...Vote and then see how your fellow supporters voted. It is pretty conclusive…
Also on The Celtic Star…
Sky Sports shocker! Premier Sports and BBC Scotland agree 6 year Scottish Cup deal…See HERE.
Celtic TV’s unique angle and the things we noticed watching this footage…See HERE.
‘The boys did pretty much everything apart from score,’ Celtic keeper…See HERE.
Watch Celtic Fans TV, supporters reaction from West Lothian stalemate…See HERE.
‘Our supporters were once again first class,’ David Potter…See HERE.
Jim Craig – Benfica substituted Eusebio then Harry Hood got a third goal…See HERE.
TG: ‘My goal in the European Cup Final? Which one?’ Menga: ‘My head-butt on Ryan Christie? Which one?’…See HERE.
And another fine addition to the Celtic Fans media this season, joining Celtic Fans TV and of course The Celtic Star is the new fans forum where all Celtic supporters are welcome and the conversations are friendly and interesting…Celtic Noise. Check it out!
