CELTIC will today submit their list of 25 players to be registered with Uefa for their Champions League campaign, and among the names will be Neil Lennon's latest addition Lassad Nouioui.
The Tunisian international striker signed a two-year contract yesterday, to become Celtic's fourth and final signing of the window.
Venezuelan striker Miku Fedor, on a season-long loan from Getafe, Efe Ambrose, the Nigerian defender bought from Israeli team FC Ashdod, and Lubos Kamenar, the Slovakian goalkeeper on loan from Nantes, all joined on Friday's transfer window deadline day. Lassad, as a free agent after leaving Deportivo la Coruna in the Spanish second division, was able to be signed after the window closed.
Another Spanish side, Levante, had thought they had a deal for Lassad but the player had already committed to coming to Celtic. He arrived in Glasgow on Saturday and a deal was completed after a medical yesterday. "I know that Celtic already has a great squad of players and I'm very much looking forward to joining up with my team-mates," he told the club website. "I hope to play my part in bringing success to the club and of course I'm also looking to competing in the Champions League with such a great football club."
Uefa's deadline to register squads for the group stage is at 11pm tonight, and Lassad will join Miku, Gary Hooper, Georgios Samaras, Anthony Stokes and Tony Watt as the attacking options to face Barcelona, Benfica and Spartak Moscow.
Miku revealed that both Swansea City and Reading were interested in taking him to the Barclays Premier League – he has been rated at £8m – but he wanted to join Celtic, even on loan, when he knew of their interest after they had qualified for the Champions League.
"I like the fact it's a big team and it's a challenge to play every weekend to win," he said. "I like the attitude which says that if you don't win then it's a problem. Swansea and Reading both wanted to sign me in the summer. Before the season started Getafe wanted money for me but I said to them that I wanted to move to a big team. I was the best striker in the team at Getafe.
"Swansea and Reading are both good teams but for me it would be similar to Getafe. Celtic is different: it has the support, the history the Champions League. There are more things here for me."
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