Celtic have set their scouting network further and wider in recent years, especially following the appointment of Ange Postecoglou in the summer of 2021. The Australian manager might have left for Tottenham Hotspur since then but the Hoops have continued on with the transfer policy to mixed success.
This year, they have signed three players from South Korea. Oh Hyeon-gyu was brought in in January in order to take Giorgos Giakoumakis' place in the squad. On the other hand, Yang Hyun-jun and Kwon Hyeok-kyu were signed in the summer.
Oh has been a contributor to the team since his arrival and has shown glimpses of quality, although he is not a regular starter yet. As the season has progressed, his role in Brendan Rodgers' squad has grown, which is a positive.
Yang has gotten chances as well but does not seem to be quite ready yet and a loan spell away might do him good. As for Kwon, he has not played a single minute of football since arriving in the summer and one has to wonder what the future holds for him.
Manchester United legend Park Ji-sung sends classy Celtic message
Manchester United legend, Park Ji-sung, who spent seven seasons at Old Trafford, appears to have been impressed with the Celtic trio and how they are adjusting to life in Scotland. As reported by Football Scotland, he said:
"I recently travelled throughout Europe and met as many South Korean players as I could. I went to Celtic, Wolves, Bayern Munich, Stuttgart and Midtjylland in Denmark to see them. They are all doing so well.
"For example, there are three young South Korean players at Celtic I was really impressed with how they seem to be adapting to life in Europe by learning English diligently.
"They had many of the same issues I had when I first went to Europe to sign for PSV Eindhoven with integrating into a new country and learning the language. For me, it was a time that brought back memories of the past. But they have done so well in Scotland."
Adjusting to a new club, teammates, country and culture are certainly factors that one cannot overlook when it comes to players. Some have a tougher time than others.
For example, Kyogo is someone who arrived and immediately established himself as one of the most important players in the team. On the other hand, Daizen Maeda is someone who made a slow start to life at Parkhead but has grown into a key player over time.