“Throughout my career so far, my mum has always been with me.
“Mum lives with me and she travels everywhere with me. So, yes, it’s difficult, she’s not in Glasgow yet, but is arriving soon.
“I’m very aware it’s a huge sacrifice for her because I have one brother, Beranger, and one sister, Maurette, and it’s not easy for my dad, he is on his own with the kids.
“But my aunt is helping, making sure things are okay back in Abidjan.
“My mum plays a significant role in my decisions about where to go.
“We have had offers from different clubs and I speak to her and what she basically always says is: ‘Son, do the best for you as a footballer and I will pray for you’.
“I am away from the family, but the family comes with me.
“When I go back home after my day and dinner is ready. Everything is perfect and she’s a great cook.”
Kouassi also revealed he is now fully recovered from a malaria scare after spending a day at Glasgow’s Queen Elizabeth University Hospital.
Just days after making his switch from Russian side Krasnodar, tests revealed a mild form of the virus, but Kouassi insisted he’s back to full health.
“I was unafraid. I just felt quite tired. It’s okay.
“Maybe it’s knocked me back a little. It has delayed things a little, but I am not worried. I have started to train again and it’s going to take a bit of time.
“I’m happy and I am patient. There is no rush for games.”
He continued: “Why did I choose Celtic? Well, Celtic is a big club, it’s got a lot of history. So, it was a fairly obvious decision to come here.
“I am not going to lie to you, I’m a young player. I know of Celtic, I have read a bit about it, but I’m not a specialist in the history of Celtic, obviously.
“I wouldn’t say I’m really surprised Celtic signed me even though I hadn’t been in Russia for long.
“I think they saw the potential in me.”
Having been granted a work permit and agreeing a four-year deal, Kouassi is happy to have fellow-countryman Kolo Toure for company in the Celtic dressing room.
Kouassi added: “He was very positive and, basically, told me to just come to Celtic, knowing that other teams were interested.”
