Celtic newboy Jeffrey Schlupp can’t wait to taste the Parkhead atmosphere in all it’s glory after getting a brief glimpse of what the famous old ground has to offer earlier in his career.
The versatile 32-year-old joined the Hoops with just hours remaining in the January transfer window on a loan deal from Leicester City, and will provide Brendan Rodgers with some much needed cover on the left-hand side. Ghana international Schlupp was a part of the Foxes side that shocked the world to win the Premier League title in 2016 and later that year headed north of the border to face the Hoops at Celtic Park in the International Champions Cup, with the English side coming out on top in a penalty shootout after a 1-1 draw.
Speaking to the club’s website after jetting up from Leicester to be unveiled in the green-and-white, he said: “I’m super excited. It’s actually been one of my dreams, as much as many others, to play for such a great club like Celtic. I had the pleasure of playing here about nine years ago in a pre-season match, so I’ve actually been to the stadium before and the atmosphere and everything about it was something exciting.
“So as soon as the opportunity came up, I was really excited about it. Everyone always speaks about the experience of playing at Celtic, the atmosphere, the fans and the stadium as you’re driving up to it.”
Parkhead stopper Kasper Schmeichel was also a part of that famous team under Claudio Ranieri that did the unthinkable nearly nine years ago and Schlupp says the Danish veteran was his first port of call when the possibility of coming north of the border was presented to him.
“Kasper was one of the first people I spoke to when this opportunity came up, he added. “He messaged me and we spoke, and he told me about how great the club is, how much I’ll enjoy playing here, and I can’t wait to link up again.
‘To be able to play together again after such a long time and the memories we’ve got together, it’s going to be a special thing that I’m definitely looking forward to.”
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