Ronny Deila, the Celtic manager, has claimed he has recruited a player who could prove to be worth £20m as the club's immediate financial future faces the impact of a UEFA decision to be made this morning.
The European football authority will rule on Legia Warsaw's appeal against elimination from the Champions League as Deila completes his preparations for the first SPFL Premiership game against St Johnstone tonight with Jason Denayer, a loan signing from Manchester City, in the squad.
Deila said of the central defender: "I think we could get an option to buy but I don't think we have enough money. Jason is going to be worth a lot of money. He is already worth a lot of money. Is he a player worth £6m or £7m right now? I'd say he's worth more, maybe £10m."
Asked if the Belgian could become worth £15m-£20m, Deila added: "Yes, he could. He's a very good player and he will have a great future - people will see it when he plays."
Denayer joins Alex Tonev, the 24-year-old Bulgarian, who signed on loan from Aston Villa on Monday. Tonev has a slight injury and will not feature immediately for Celtic but Deila is keen to throw Denayer into the fray quickly.
The teenage recruit said:
"It was not the plan at the beginning for me to join another club on loan. I wanted to become part of the Manchester City team."
Denayer said he had been inspired by comparisons to his countryman, Vincent Kompany, the Manchester City captain.
"When people compare me with him it's because they are hoping for something good from me," he said. "It gives me strength to go further. You can feel pressure and think about how difficult it makes things,
or you can feel pressure and think: 'Okay, I'm going to work and be like Vincent."
Deila would not be drawn
on Legia's appeal, saying:
"I've said all I can about
that case. I have to keep my
focus on winning games and being a football manager,
not a politician."
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