Ange Postecoglou has revealed that Celtic have been tracking their new signing Osaze Urhoghide for some time. The 55-year-old Australian met with the 20-year-old and decided to pull the trigger on the signing of the defender.
Speaking to the Celtic website, Postecoglou said that the club had signed a really impressive young player, who is desperate to work hard and reach the very top of the game.
“It’s great. He’s someone that the club’s been tracking for a while and when I came on board, I managed to have a meeting with him and he’s a good young man, he’s very ambitious.
“He’s just beginning his football career but he shows all the attributes on and off the field to want to become a top player, so it’s great to get him here. He can play a couple of positions at the back and, most importantly, he’s really keen to learn and develop and I think this will be a great environment for him.”
With 21 appearances already to his name, Celtic have not hired a first team ready player but someone that will be working towards becoming part of the team.
“He’s a modern defender. He’s good athletically, he’s mobile, he’s quick and he wants to get on the ball. He can play a couple of different positions, and from our perspective, and the way we want to play our football, there are certain things I look for in players irrespective of age, and he’s got some really good attributes to be a top defender.
“The most important thing is, he’s got a real desire to reach the very top. He’s excited about joining the club, which is important to me because that’s the first thing I want to hear from players, that they’re really keen to join us.”
The manager will know that he and his team need to hit the ground running ahead of a fast start to the season but it is reassuring to hear him talk about the type of player that we have signed, suggesting that the boss has done his homework. It is refreshing to know that the manager is now having the final say after a period of players being signed from the CEO’s desk as opposed to the manager’s.
