CRYSTAL PALACE’S Jeffrey Schlupp has answered Celtic’s SOS for left-back reinforcements as he signed a short-term loan deal on deadline day.
Brendan Rodgers urgently required cover for Greg Taylor after any chance of a temporary switch for former fans’ favourite Kieran Tierney ahead of his summer arrival was blocked by Arsenal.
Alex Valle also returned to parent club Barcelona before a switch to Serie A outfit Como to add to the concern over the No.3 position.
However, the versatile 20 times-capped Ghanaian international, a Premier League winner and team-mate of Kasper Schmeichel at former club Leicester City, has come to the rescue.
Hamburg-born Schlupp, 32, moved to the London club in a £12million switch in January 2017 and featured almost 250 times for Palace in a variety of positions on the left side.
A BIG HAND…Brendan Rodgers welcomes new Bhoy Jeffrey Schlupp to Celtic.
Rodgers said: “I am really pleased that we have been able to bring Jeffrey to the club. I know he will love it at Celtic, I am sure our fans will love him and what he can bring to us.
“He is a fantastic guy, someone with real high-level experience and with great attributes including power, pace and versatility.
“I know that he can be a really important addition to our squad this season.”
Schlupp, speaking to the club website, added: “I am really happy to join Celtic, such a massive and iconic name in football.
“I have spoken to Brendan and I am really looking forward to working with him and the lads in the squad as we aim to bring more silverware to our supporters.
“The team has already done brilliantly this season, both domestically and in Europe, and I know I am joining a really successful team, but I want to add to this, to play my own part and help us achieve even more.
JOTA’S BACK…the fans’ favourite hopes to be a Magnificent 7 for Celtic.
“I can’t wait to get started, to pull on those famous green and white hoops, meet the fans and give everything I have to bring us more and more good times.”
The champions are due to play Dundee at Parkhead on Wednesday night, but it is unclear if the defender will be in the matchday squad.
Hoops fans will be surprised at the lack of an addition of a new striker after last week’s £10million departure of Kyogo Furuhashi to French side Rennes.
On the plus side, though, there was the return of Filipe Jota on a five and a half year contract at the Portuguese flyer marked his second debut for the club with the third and clinching goal in the 3-1 win over Motherwell at the weekend.
