HE’S AN OLI GOOD FELLOW

Ntcham lands lucrative new deal

OLIVIER NTCHAM last night signed a bumper long-term deal at Celtic and admitted he’s going to struggle to get back into the team.

The French midfielder penned new four-year contract tying him to the club until 2022.

Ntcham enjoyed an outstanding first 16 months at Parkhead having arrived for £4million from Manchester City to earn his improved terms under the guidance of Brendan

Rodgers.

Long-term his future is now clear but he knows short-term might be more tricky.

Ntcham has been stuck in the stands with a hamstring injury as Rodgers’ team have hit top form.

With stars such as Callum Mcgregor, Tom Rogic and Ryan Christie shining in the engine-room and skipper Scott Brown also due to return soon, the 22-year-old accepts he’ll need to hit his peak to get back in the side.

Ntcham said: “The midfielders who have come in to the team have done a great job. That helps everyone else to keep pushing and improving. The win over Leipzig showed everybody we can compete in the Europa League.

“It was a little bit frustrating to just watch the game on Thursday (inset) but I was happy to see my team win such a big match. I enjoyed it a lot but I know that to get back into the team my levels will need to be very high.” Ntcham’s signature is a huge boost for the champions.

The French under-21 ace attracted summer interest from the likes of Porto but the club have cemented the ex-genoa loan star’s future with the extension to his current deal.

He said: “We started to speak about this possibility of signing a new contract in the summer when I came back after the break I’m really happy to have this situation completed.”

Boss Rodgers will assess his squad which is recovering from the dramatic 2-1 victory over RB Leipzig but Jozo Simunovic, Cristian Gamboa, Olivier Ntcham, Scott Brown and Leigh Griffiths all remain out with various ailments.