AMIDO Balde credits the presence of watching Celtic scouts for inspiring him to lift his first piece of silverware.
Now the 22-year-old has hopes of augmenting his medal collection with the Scottish champions.
The 6ft 4in striker, who this week completed a £1.5 million move to Parkhead, was part of the Vitoria Guimaraes side which beat Benfica last month to lift the Portuguese Cup, and he has set his sights on more honours in the next four years.
"I knew Celtic were watching me last season against Belenenses and in the Portuguese Cup final against Benfica," said Balde. "It is such a motivation when a big club comes to see you play.
"You always try to play to your best, but when Celtic came to see me I put in something extra to show them I am the right player. I won the Portuguese Cup last season and Celtic is the right club to come to in order to win cups and the league title."
Balde is yet to meet manager Neil Lennon, but he hopes he can prove the answer to the Northern Irishman's lengthy pursuit of a target man with real aerial prowess. Balde scored nine goals in 19 games for Guimaraes last season, and was frequently used as a lone striker.
"I believe I have good technique, good feet and good heading ability," he said. "I like to get on the end of crosses and meet them in the box to score, often with my head.
"If the manager has been looking for that type of player, then that is going to be good for us because I am a player who feels very confident doing his work in the box.
"A lot of my goals come with the head. But I don't have a preference how we play in attack, either way I can manage. I can play up front on my own or in a two, that will depend on the coach's decision as well."
Balde left Sporting Lisbon in 2012 without a single appearance for the first team, but in one of several loan spells, at Cercle Bruges, he crossed paths with Victor Wanyama, then of Germinal Beerschot.
"I learned much when I played in Belgium," he said. "I had an injury to my shoulder while I was there but overcoming that injury and that whole experience made me feel stronger mentally for the future. Wanyama has been a big success at Celtic and I would like to follow that example."
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