PREMIERSHIP

my age. And I’d love some of my family to come over to Scotland now, particularly my mother, Fatoumata. It’s difficult with the African visa but it would be great to have them around.

“I have worked hard to get to Celtic, and it almost feels incredible to be here. This is why I left school at 16. The one thing I wanted to achieve was to be good at football.

“The key for me has been having my parents behind me. I have had their support whenever I have moved countries so it’s always felt like being at home.

“To be honest, when I first told my father I wanted to become a football player it was tough – because he was against it. He said to me: ‘no, you’re not going to go and just play football and nothing else – you must choose something else.’ I just said to him: ‘it’s my life and I’m going to decide what I’m going to do – and I’m going to play football.’ After that he said ‘okay, we will support you,’ and from that moment I decided I had to give my best every single day.

“That’s the path I have chosen. I have to be the best I can be. But it was good for me because a few years ago my father said to me: ‘you’re a big boy and I’m proud of you.’ That stays with me now because he didn’t get to see me get this far and sign for Celtic.”

Soro, a “bull” of a player according to his manager, revealed he models himself on N’golo Kante. Conducting his interview through a French interpreter yesterday, there was no mistaking the “wow” that he exclaimed when it was put to him that there was the possibility that he potentially could one day face the Chelsea player in the Champions League.

“I wouldn’t say the fans should expect the same level of player – but they will see the same type of player as Kante,” he said. “To me, he is the model. He’s a player who never lets go, he has that never-say-die attitude I love. I watch every single match he plays. Watching videos of how he moves around the park is how I prepare for my games.

“I’ve never met him but if I ever did I would tell him, ‘the way you work, man, this is it’ . To play against him would be a dream come true. If I was up against him, it would be hot. When I play, it’s not for fun. I play with my heart and don’t take any prisoners.”