Cameron is the gift that keeps on giving

WITH a few notable exceptions, any player putting pen to paper as the final seconds of deadline day ebb away is best advised to prepare for a tough audience awaiting him in Glasgow.

There tend to be two questions from the cynics on such occasions. If the new signing is so good, why has no other club moved for him? And if the buying club rate him so highly, why wasn’t the deal done sooner?

Cameron Carter-Vickers is living proof that not every last-minute gift grabbed from the shelves has a fundamental flaw.

Signed on a season-long loan from Tottenham just before the close of business in August, the central defender has ballasted a Celtic defence that badly needed it.

For all the permanent acquisition of Jota from Benfica heads the Christmas wish list of the fans, it says much about the impact the USA international has also made that the desire to see him remain at the club in the long term is equally strong.

‘I have really enjoyed it,’ said the 23-year-old. ‘The staff and players have been really good with me and that’s helped me.

‘It’s still early days but, for me personally, and as a team, we’ve got to keep going and keep the consistency.’

The prospect of becoming a permanent fixture in Ange Postecoglou’s long-term plans certainly appeals.

‘It is something I am open to but I haven’t given it much thought at this stage,’ said Carter-Vickers.

‘I still have plenty of games left in this season and that is my focus.’

Celtic is the seventh loan spell of a career that’s still several years away from reaching its peak.

Since first going to Sheffield United, each port of call has brought its own challenges and rewards, with even the 12 games he played for Stoke in 2019-20 — his fewest at any club — still offering welcome exposure to the first team.

Celtic, though, has been a step up both in terms of intensity and demands. Carter-Vickers has relished every second.

‘It’s definitely up there,’ he said. ‘Last season I was at Bournemouth and we got to the Championship play-offs. The year before that I was at Luton — and when I went there in January we were at the bottom and we managed to stay up.

‘So I’ve had a few good ones and a few where I have learned a lot, but this is definitely one where I am learning a lot and I’m enjoying my football.

‘I feel like I have adapted well. That is partly down to the coaches and players here making me feel so welcome from the beginning.

‘The coach has put in a system which is easy to adapt to and play in. That has been helpful.’

Challenges such as the one that awaits tonight are precisely what he signed up for.

A tall order at the best of times, Celtic tackle Bayer Leverkusen knowing that in all likelihood they will need to take something from the match to make their concluding game with Real Betis relevant in terms of the Europa League.

‘It will be a real test for us but, with our recent run of results, I’m confident we can get something,’ said the defender.

‘We had a tough group with Betis, Leverkusen and Ferencvaros but, at this stage, we have six points and we’re still in with a shout of getting through to the knockout rounds.’

When the Germans visited Glasgow in September, Celtic created several chances but ended up on the wrong side of a four-goal hammering.

Carter-Vickers believes the team has evolved to such an extent since then, however, that that outcome will have no bearing on tonight.

‘It was a couple of months ago now and we have improved since then as a team, both attacking-wise and defensively.

‘We’re in a different kind of mood now as a squad and we are confident we can go there, play our football and try to get a result.

‘It would set up a big game back at home against Betis and we would go into that one confident as well.

‘Leverkusen are a top side. They have great, quick attacking players who play in a top league in the Bundesliga. So it’ll be a test for us but we just have to try to impose our style on the game and see what happens.’