Price tag is no problem for Ntcham

OLIVIER NTCHAM has welcomed the pressure of being the most expensive Celtic player in a decade. The 21-year-old French midfielder has signed a four-year contract at Parkhead after joining from Manchester City in a £4.5million deal. The fee makes him Celtic’s most expensive arrival since they signed Scott Brown from Hibernian in 2007, but Ntcham has refused to be burdened by his hefty price tag. ‘No, the money does not put pressure on me,’ he said after being unveiled at Lennoxtown yesterday. ‘For me, it makes me happy because the club is showing

From Back Page a lot of faith in me. When you buy a player, you buy him because he can do big things on the pitch. I hope this is what I can show for Celtic. ‘The money is not a problem. It is a challenge and I am looking forward to it.’ Having spent the past two years on loan at Genoa and battling relegation from Serie A, Ntcham joins a side who are riding high on the back of an unbeaten Treble last season. He revealed that conversations with new team-mates Moussa Dembele (below), Dedryck Boyata and Brendan Rodgers had influenced his decision to move to Glasgow, but not as much as the prospect of Champions League football. His involvement in that competition will have to wait, however, as a lack of match fitness means he will not be involved in tomorrow night’s opening qualifier against Linfield in Belfast. ‘It is a very exciting challenge to join a club who were unbeatable last season. I hope that we can achieve it again,’ he said. ‘I definitely want to play my part in this club being successful. ‘I spoke to Dedryck and Moussa about life in Glasgow. I have known Moussa a long time, since we were 14 years old in the national team. ‘Moussa told me it was great to win everything and that he was happy here. ‘I enjoyed the derbies in Italy, Genoa against Sampdoria. ‘They were intense. Moussa has told me about Rangers and how unbelievable those games are to play in. ‘The manager (Rodgers) told me when we spoke that my game did not suit Italy and that I should come to Scotland with Celtic. ‘But the Champions League is what convinced me most. Not every player can play in the Champions League, so that is why I came here. ‘I have never had the chance to play Champions League football in my career before and some players don’t ever get it. ‘I have heard that the Champions League is unbelievable to play in and that is what I want to do with Celtic. ‘I saw Celtic’s game against Manchester City last season and it looked fantastic. ‘It must have been an amazing feeling for the players.’