Celtic F.C
Brendan Rodgers was taken aback by Adam Idah’s attributes.
Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers was “taken aback” by Republic of Ireland forward Adam Idah’s attributes after he joined the Scottish giants on loan for the rest of the season from Norwich City.
Idah moves north in the hopes of resuming his career after seeing his playing time at Carrow Road dwindle in recent months.
His was Celtic Park’s second arrival during the winter transfer window, following the signing of winger Nicolas Kuhn from Rapid Wien on a five-and-a-half-year contract.
“He’s the level of player that we would have liked to have brought in,” Rodgers told Sky Sports on Friday.
“I’ve mentioned before that we could only really bring in what I thought were quality signings, and I believe the two guys we’ve brought in over the short and long term can do very well for us.
“Adam is a young player who I had seen break through in the Premier League as a youngster, and I must admit that I was taken aback by his abilities. I believe it hasn’t worked out for him at Norwich for a variety of reasons, including injuries, but there is no doubt about his talent.
“He’s a huge talent with a lot of potential, and at 22, he has a lot of good years ahead of him. We’ll collaborate and see if we can make the most of that talent. I know he’s happy to be here, and I’m glad he is as well.”
Idah has 22 caps for Ireland, scoring three goals, and an improvement in club fortunes would undoubtedly benefit his international prospects, with a new manager set to take over in due course.
Idah got “goosebumps” when he first ran out at Celtic Park, and he’s even more excited to be able to realise his lifelong dream of playing for the reigning Premiership champions.
He could make his Aberdeen debut on Saturday, saying: “The last few days have been very stressful, but I’m so happy to be here.
“I found out about the interest on Monday morning, and from then on, I was everywhere.
It was a no-brainer.” I’ve always said I wanted to play for Celtic.
“It’s a huge club, and the manager here has an incredible history. “With him developing all these young players, it will suit me perfectly.”
The Cork native continued, “With my Irish heritage and friends and family back home, we all support Celtic.”
“We played Celtic in pre-season last year, and walking out into the stadium was a huge shock to me, giving me goosebumps.
“I’ve always wanted to play here, but I never imagined it would be this early, so I’m even more excited to be here.
“My phone was buzzing on Thursday night, and the messages from fans have been incredible. I am grateful for their warm welcome and look forward to seeing them in person.”
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