CHARLY IS OUR DARLING
Rodgers hails Musonda deal as a huge coup for Celtic
BRENDAN RODGERS last night hailed the loan signing of Charly Musonda as a huge coup for Celtic — as he lined up Motherwell goalkeeper Trevor Carson as his fourth capture of this month’s window.
On the bench as his Chelsea team-mates beat Newcastle on Sunday, the 21-year-old midfielder flew to Glasgow yesterday to finalise an 18-month loan deal with the Scottish champions.
Celtic were one of 24 clubs hoping to land the signature of a player who last year was the subject of an inquiry from Real Madrid.
His capture represents the end of Rodgers’ year-long pursuit of the
player — and, in the view of the Celtic manager, is a signing that will be the envy of many.
‘He is a big talent,’ said Rodgers. ‘Subject to a medical, it’s a great signing. He is a young guy who is in a Premier League squad and is an exciting player.
‘Charly had 24 clubs interested and some prestigious clubs at that. We had permission from Chelsea last season for him to come here and speak to us and he came up and got a feel for it.
‘The staff at Chelsea know how I work but it is a great coup for Celtic and for Scottish football that a young kid who was coming off the bench for Chelsea in the Premier League is up here a couple of weeks later. It is a big signing for us.’
Explaining why he had to bide his time to land one of the most prodigious talents in Europe, Rodgers added: ‘Going back to last season, this was a player we had earmarked and there was a bit of speculation around him.
‘Then he was involved in the squad. It might have happened earlier but Chelsea had one or two injuries and they have to protect themselves.
‘On Sunday, he was on the bench, so there has been an awful lot of work in it. My idea is to bring genuine quality. I could have a whole list of players I could bring here but it’s the players who are going to make the difference that is important.
‘This is a young player who’s hungry to play, who plays with great enjoyment and will feel that special connection now with the Celtic fans and playing for this huge club.’
Musonda, in contention to make his debut against Hearts tonight, said: ‘I am really excited. I have read so many good things about the stadium and the fans and it is going to be unreal to play at Celtic Park.
‘I was quite close (to joining Celtic) last summer and it didn’t happen. I spoke to the manager again a couple of weeks ago and I thought: “Yeah, it’s going to happen.”’
Revealing that he will wear the squad number 67, he added: ‘I know it is a special number here and that is why I took that number. Now it is up to me to carry the legend on the pitch.’
Confirming that Craig Gordon faces three months out with injury, Rodgers is believed to have identified Fir Park keeper Carson as competition for Dorus de Vries. Reports last night claimed Celtic had an initial bid of £200,000 for the 29-year-old rejected but they are expected to move back in today for the former Hartlepool man.
Rodgers has previously been fulsome in his praise for a player he knew as a young man in Northern Ireland.
On Gordon, he said: ‘He’s going to be out for 12 weeks, so that’s disappointing for him.
‘It’s the medial ligament in the other knee to the one where he had problems before, so he’s in a brace for six weeks and we’ll assess it from there.
‘You’re just happy it isn’t on the knee he has hurt before.
‘He’s a top professional and he will do whatever he needs to do to get back. Apart from five games out of the team when I first came in, he’s been brilliant, so we just need to get him back as quick as we can really.
‘Dorus has been a really loyal and terrific No 2. He’ll get an opportunity. We’ll definitely have to get another keeper in.’
Leigh Griffiths also faces up to a month on the sidelines after a recurrence of his ongoing calf issues — making him a doubt for next month’s Europa League double-header against Zenit St Petersburg.
‘He will probably be out for about four weeks,’ said Rodgers. ‘It’s his calf and he’s got ongoing issues with his calves.’
Mikael Lustig is also doubtful for the Euro tie, but Stuart Armstrong, Tom Rogic and Marvin Compper are nearing full fitness again.
‘Mika has been struggling for four or five weeks with his Achilles,’ added Rodgers. ‘Hopefully, he’ll be back training within a couple of weeks.
‘Stuart has taken a nice step forward. He shouldn’t be too far from rejoining the main group.
‘Tom Rogic has been doing really well and it’s about him catching up on his fitness. Marvin should join the squad for training later in the week.’
Rodgers doesn’t expect any players to leave before tomorrow night — with Moussa Dembele odds-on to remain a Celtic player until the summer.