CELTIC's new signing Mohamed Bangura claimed he did not feel under any pressure last night despite signing a £2.2m deal to become the most expensive arrival in Scottish football this year.
Bangura signed from AIK Stockholm in Sweden after being recommended to Celtic by Henrik Larsson.
The 22-year-old striker signed a four-year contract but the club had to pull out of a move for the Senegalese forward Baba Diawara because he could not secure a UK work permit.
Celtic learned that the Maritimo forward would not be granted permission to play in Britain at the moment but they will continue to monitor him and have not ruled out making another move in January. The current window closes at 11pm tonight with Celtic now looking for a left-back to bring in on loan.
Celtic agreed a £2.2m fee with Rennes to sell Georgios Samaras but he turned down the French club and also rejected a move to St Etienne, preferring to remain at Celtic Park. Shaun Maloney, though, could complete a move to Wigan Athletic today.
Bangura, a Sierre Leone internationalist, became Celtic’s fifth summer signing, following Kelvin Wilson, Adam Matthews, Victor Wanyama and Fraser Forster, and the most expensive player to arrive in the SPL in 2011.
“It is very flattering to be recommended by Henrik Larsson and it’s a very good feeling,” he told the Celtic website. “I don’t feel any pressure, though. I am delighted to be joining a club the size of Celtic. I want to bring joy to the team and I want to bring joy to myself. I want to give them what they need. Celtic are a step forward for me and this was the right time for me to make the move. I don’t know the Scottish league but I know Celtic are a big club. I was very happy when I signed.
Bangura will join his new team-mates after playing for Sierra Leone against South Africa in an Africa Cup of Nations qualifier during the international break. “I feel good. I’ve played in Europe for a while now so I feel ready. I’m here to play so I will fight for a starting place.”
He revealed that the former Rangers midfielder Jonas Thern warned him what to expect in the Old Firm game. Thern was his manager during a loan at Swedish club Varnamo last year. “Jonas told me that the derby game is crazy. It sounds nice. It’s fun to be in those kind of situations.”
Celtic dismissed suggestions they had made an unsuccessful bid for David Trezeguet, the former France striker who yesterday left Spanish club Hercules to sign a £1.4m-a-year deal with Baniyas in the United Arab Emirates.
Wigan are hopeful of completing a £1m move for Maloney today although the 28-year-old is reluctant to leave Parkhead and a deal is not certain to go through. Celtic will not sell any of their first-choice players today, despite interest in their South Korean midfielder Ki Sung-Yueng from Blackburn Rovers. “I know about the various offers,” said Ki, who is also on national team duty, “but the transfer window closes on Wednesday. There has been nothing formal.”
One player keen to move on is the defender Jos Hooiveld who is eager for an opportunity to play first-team football. The Dutchman is not in Neil Lennon’s plans and is free to move if a suitable offer is received.
Hooiveld’s agent, Alex Kroes, said he is “hopeful”of securing a move for his player but that no offer had been received yet that suits all parties.
He stressed that the player would not be difficult to deal with and was keen on a move but said that, if no transfer is arranged, then Hooiveld would continue to work hard at Celtic. “Jos is a bright, positive character,” he said. “We will remain positive if nothing happens before the deadline.”
Hooiveld joined Celtic from AIK in January 2010 but injury disrupted his early time at the club. He failed to convince Lennon of his merits and spent the latter half of last season on loan at FC Copenhagen.
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