Celtic have managed to sign Norway international, Mohamed Elyounoussi, on a season-long loan from Southampton. Here’s what the winger had to say about why he signed with the Scottish champions, their style, how he fits in and his thoughts on the Hoops fans in his first interview as a Celtic player.
The signing of Mohamed Elyounoussi on Friday came almost out of the blue. There were not many rumours linking the winger with the Scottish champions leading up to his arrival. And the Norwegian could be a huge hit at Celtic Park if he manages to replicate the form that convinced Southampton to fork out £16-million last summer to sign him from FC Basel.
His move to England though was a huge letdown as he could not manage to find the back of the net in 19 appearances for the Saints. Now, he has become surplus to requirements at St Mary’s Stadium and will be the second Southampton player to join Celtic this season after Fraser Forster.
While Elyounoussi did have a hard time in the Premier League, it should not be forgotten that he had scored over 10 goals in each of the five seasons before his move to Southampton. While Celtic fans might question the decision to sign another winger with James Forrest and Mikey Johnston in top form, and players like Marian Shved, Scott Sinclair and Lewis Morgan, it is clear that the 25-year-old is a great player in his own right.
With a staggering 85 goals in just 286 appearances for club and country, Elyounoussi certainly knows how to find the back of the net. He could be a huge asset to the club coming off the bench or if one of their starting wingers get injured.
Now in his first interview as a Celtic player, Elyounoussi has revealed why he decided to sign with the Scottish champions and what he brings to the team on Celtic TV:
"“I like the way Celtic play their aggressive, offensive football and they created a lot of chances, especially at home, and they could have won that game three or 4-0. So I’ve seen the way they play football and I can see myself fitting into that.“I’ve been lucky enough to play in the Champions League and the Europa League and I have some experience from the Premier League as well. So I’ll bring that to Celtic.“I’ve also been fortunate enough to win titles in both Norway and Switzerland, so I know what it’s about, to be favourites to win the league and the pressure that’s demanded from everyone, especially the fans, to win games and win titles. So that’s the experience I can bring.”"
The winger already has great memories of Celtic Park and the club’s fans. He helped a Molde side to a win at Paradise back in 2015 in the Europa League. Remembering the day, he said:
"“I’ve been to Celtic Park before so I know what the atmosphere’s like. I was here with Molde back in 2015, and I got a goal and an assist in both games.“I remember that it was a great atmosphere at Celtic Park when I played here. So I’m really happy to come here.“Celtic has a great history of winning titles with a lot of fans behind them, so I’m proud to be a part of the club.“This is something I want to achieve at Celtic, scoring goals and creating chances to help the team win games and winning titles. That’s what it’s about. That’s my job as an attacker –to score goals and create chances for the team.”"
The winger is a relatively low-risk signing for the Hoops as there is no obligation to sign at the end of the season and his upside as a goalscoring winger makes the gamble worth it. Celtic fans will be hoping that the Norwegian achieves everything that he wants to with the club as that will only bring them one step closer to 9-in-a-row.