‘I’m very proud to the first Ukrainian to sign for Celtic,’ Maryan Shved

CELTIC have announced that the club has now signed 21-year-old Ukrainian winger Maryan Shved on a four-and-a-half year contract from Karpaty Lviv. Shved will return to Karpaty Lviv for the rest of their season before joining up with his new Celtic team-mates sometime in April.

The winger has been speaking to the official website this evening about his move to the Scottish Champions.

“I’m very proud to be here and even prouder as a Ukrainian to be the first player from my country to sign for Celtic, particularly with what that means for football in Ukraine.

“So I’m going to do my absolute best to be an example for Ukrainian footballers and open up a door for them.

“I love to go one v one and cut inside on my left foot and that’s where I hope to produce important and spectacular goals for the club and give the Celtic supporters something to cheer about.

“Playing games over the next few months is going to be huge for me so that I can come here with confidence, and that’s going to be very important to me, to come in here fresh because I know that summer is a big time of the season for European teams as well, so I want to be ready.

“This stage of the season is also important for Karpaty Lviv, because they’re fighting in the league so they’ll need me now more than ever, and there’s a personal weight on my shoulders to really perform. I will still be supporting Celtic, of course, and hoping that they do well for the rest of this season.

“Karpaty’s colours are also green and white so the transition to Celtic makes me feel very at home supporting green and white again, which has always been in my heart.”

The Ukrainian winger made his international debut in November and believes joining Celtic will help him establish himself in his national side.

“I believe this a good move for me, with a step up in the level of competition, which will hopefully earn me more call-ups to the national team,” he said. “That’s a coaching decision, of course, but I hope to play more times for Ukraine.

“I’m very happy to have signed for Celtic and I’m really excited to be able to call this my home now. It’s a massive club with a huge history and I want to be here and be part of it and write the future history.

“I’m very emotional, in a good way, because this is a big step for me in my career and I want to be able to keep growing with that and show that, with the expectations of this club, that I can perform at this level.”

And the new Celt revealed how he’s already building up his own fan club in the East End of Glasgow.

“At first I was very surprised because I received a lot of messages from the Ukrainian community in Glasgow on my social media and I was surprised they found me and reached out, and they’re excited about me coming here.

“That made me very emotional because I realise what it means to them to have a Ukrainian player in Glasgow playing for Celtic. So I want to create a good image while I’m here, both as a Ukrainian and as a footballer.”

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About Author

The Celtic Star founder and editor, who has edited numerous Celtic books over the past decade or so including several from Lisbon Lions, Willie Wallace, Tommy Gemmell and Jim Craig. Earliest Celtic memories include a win over East Fife at Celtic Park and the 4-1 League Cup loss to Partick Thistle as a 6 year old. Best game? Easy 4-2, 1979 when Ten Men Won the League. Email editor@thecelticstar.co.uk

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