JUNIOR ADAMU cost Celtic a £435,000 loan fee when he joined from Bundesliga outfit SC Freiburg on January deadline day.
The terms of the striker’s temporary transfer expire next month and there seems little likelihood the double winners will take up the £4.3million purchase option on the contract.
On the day of his arrival, Austrian international Adamu promised the Hoops fans: “I’m dangerous in the box and hungry for goals.”
Alas, the anticipated storm of strikes never materialised from the 24-year-old frontman.
Adamu hit the net on only one occasion during his rare appearances – but it was enough to put the goal in the realms of fantasy.
THE LATE, LATE SHOW…Junior Adamu flicks in Celtic’s equaliser with three seconds to go in the Scottish Cup-tie against Dundee at Parkhead. The Hoops won 2-1 in extra-time.
A week after agreeing the switch, the nine times-capped raider was pitched in for his debut as an 80th-minute substitute for Tomas Cvancara, another winter loan signing, with Martin O’Neill’s side heading for the Scottish Cup exit.
They were trailing 1-0 to Dundee in their Fourth Round tie at Parkhead when the new Bhoy took his bow.
With three seconds to go, Adamu struck with a clever flick to turn in a low left-wing cross from Sebastian Tounekti to force the game into extra-time.
The Tunisian flanker settled the outcome with a sizzling low drive just over a minute into the added-on time to make sure the Hoops took their place in the quarter-final draw.
It’s history now that the champions beat Rangers on penalty-kicks at Ibrox to reach the last four where they overwhelmed St Mirren 6-2 in extra-time before claiming a record 43rd success in the competition with the 3-1 triumph over Dunfermline last weekend.
NO WAY THROUGH…Junior Adamu is thwarted by Jack Butland in the 2-2 Premiership stalemate at Ibrox in March.
Following his late, late strike against the Dens Park club, a beaming Adamu exclaimed: “It’s amazing. I feel really happy and I’m so glad to help the team.
“I came here to work and improve and my mentality is to never stop and keep going.”
Unfortunately, Adamu’s time in the spotlight was brief and he made only four starts in his total of six outings for O’Neill’s team.
Like Cvancara, who has already returned to parent club Borussia Monchengladbach, Adamu will almost certainly be heading back to the Bundesliga next month.
Thanks for the goal and the memories, Junior!
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