BRENDAN RODGERS has thanked the Celtic board for splashing £9.5million to make sure Adam Idah returned to the champions.
The Republic of Ireland international striker will become the club’s most expensive player after the add-ons in the fee coming into play.
Rodgers had made Idah a priority signing after the 23-year-old frontman’s nine goals – including the Scottish Cup winner – in his 19 appearances after arriving in Glasgow on loan from Norwich City on the January deadline day.
Idah is now standing by for his second debut in Paradise when the Hoops face Hibs in the opening game in their League Cup quest at Parkhead on Sunday afternoon.
Rodgers is clearly overjoyed to get his main man on a five-year contract after over two months of wrangling between the double winners and the East Anglian outfit.
DOUBLE TROUBLE…Kyogo Furuhashi watches strike partner Adam Idah fire in a shot at the St Mirren goal in Celtic’s 2-0 Scottish Cup win in Paisley last season.
The Celtic gaffer said: “I’m absolutely delighted and I’m delighted for him because he’s got huge potential.
“He showed that last season and if ever I’ve been relaxed on a signing, it’s this one because I know what his talent is.
“I’m really excited for him and the Celtic supporters and obviously for the team that we’ve got someone back who can really help us be successful going forward.
“I think what I’ve seen from him in my time here is that he had proven to me that he has that big-game mentality, big-club mentality.
“So, I wanted to do everything I could and I thank the board for reaching out and getting Adam here because I think that over the next two to three years, he can really flourish and show all the quality that he has.
“He’s in an environment where he will improve.”
Idah played as a second-half substitute in Norwich City’s 2-0 loss to Oxford United in the Championship opener last weekend and will not be completely matchfit.
However, he could be plunged in against the Edinburgh side with Kyogo Furuhashi still nursing the shoulder injury that forced him off in the champions’ 2-0 victory at Easter Road on Sunday.
DOWN AND OUT…Kyogo Furuhashi receives treatment on his shoulder injury before leaving the pitch during Celtic’s 2-0 victory over Hibs at Easter Road.
Rodgers is determined the team avoid the banana skin that brought their participation to an abrupt halt at this stage last term when they collapsed to a 1-0 loss to Kilmarnock at Rugby Park.
The Irishman, speaking to Celtic TV, continued: “We were disappointed, but the team’s in a much better place now.
“I look at this season and how we’ve been training, how we’ve been working and we’ve been able to take that in to games.
“This is the next game and it’s the most important one and we want to get through.
“There’s no doubt, we should set that target and want to win every trophy. That’s something we know we have to work very hard to do and that starts on Sunday.”
Rodgers also responded to questions regarding the club’s decision to continue the lock out of visiting fans for the first derby of the campaign a fortnight on Sunday, as CQN reported earlier today.
THANK YOU, FANS…Brendan Rodgers acknowledges the Celtic support at the end of the holders’ dismal 1-0 League Cup exit against Kilmanrock at Rugby Park.
The manager added: “I think the board have made a really good decision. The club’s job is to protect the support.
“If there’s not that guarantee come the second fixture then I think it’s only logical that you wouldn’t reciprocate.
“Celtic have played their part in what they were asked to do. None of this was Celtic’s issue. When you go back to when this all started, it’s nothing to do with Celtic.
“Celtic gets dragged in to this as being a Celtic and Rangers thing. It’s not. This is a Rangers thing.
“There was an agreement in place for both sets of supporters to come. Celtic have been working on that for a couple of months.
“I know the work that’s gone in to it and the investment to ensure that everything was right for this fixture.
“The agreement hasn’t been upheld so Celtic, rightly, have to defend the supporters and the club.”
