Jeremy Toljan took a pay cut in order to make a deadline day move to Celtic, according to Brendan Rodgers.
Speaking as the 24-year-old full-back underwent a round of fitness checks at the club, Rodgers believes that Toljan’s willingness to sacrifice salary in order to put his career to the forefront already augers well for the loan spell which is set to follow.
Toljan is a right-back but can also play on the left-side with Rodgers excited about what he will offer Celtic between now and the end of the season.
“He [Toljan] is a player who has sacrificed his own wages and money to want to come here to play which shows a sign that he is hungry to get his career back on track again,” said Rodgers. “He recognises this is a big club which gives him the opportunity to do that.
“It is a great attitude to start with and I look forward to working with him.
“It says everything for me. It says everything in terms of wanting to get football and get playing.”
The Parkhead side have been open about their wish to bring in a right-back in recent transfer windows and Rodgers expects that Toljan will offer versatility as well as an aggressive and attack-minded game.
“He is very quick, he is dynamic and he also gives us flexibility because he can play on both sides – he has played a lot for Dortmund on the left-hand side as well,” explained Rodgers.
“He brings that athleticism that I like players in my team to have to have. In the modern game, at the higher levels you have got to have to be able to defend the central areas, the middle, but also be able to get out and he has the pace to do that and get tight to people.
“He has a good profile – 6 foot, fast and dynamic. He gives us another dimension.”
While Rodgers declared himself satisfied with the business done in the window there was unwelcome injury news on Tom Rogic.
The Australian midfielder is expected to be out for at least six weeks with a knee ligament injury after returned from his time at the Asian Cup.
“He did his hand out there, which it was felt didn’t need an operation but he still felt pain in it, and then he got injured in one of the games out there and his knee was a bit sore,” said Rodgers. “When he returned we had a plan for him to go to London for a scan just to make sure his hand didn’t need an operation.
“When he was down there we got a scan on his knee and it ended up that the knee was the one! He’s done his lateral meniscus so he needs an operation next week. That will put him out for about six weeks. And his hand’s ok.”
Rodgers also dismissed suggestions that Dedryck Boyata is out for the next month. The Belgian has not played since the Scottish Cup win over Airdrie following the winter break but will train this weekend.
"The plan, all being well with the last couple of days of rehab, is for him to train with the reserves this weekend,” said Rodgers. “He will hopefully train with the first team next week.
"Olivier [Ntcham] went to Clarefontaine and did some good work out there. He's back here on Monday and we will assess it from our side. Hopefully he will be ready to train on Tuesday.”
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