Victor Wanyama is eyeing silverware with Celtic after rejecting interest from Aston Villa.
New signing knocks back Villa interest to win trophies in Scotland
New Celtic signing Victor Wanyama is eyeing silverware with the Hoops after rejecting interest from Aston Villa.
The 20-year-old Kenyan snubbed Alex McLeish to sign a four-year contract at the Parkhead club in a deal reportedly worth £900,000 to Belgian side Germinal Beerschot.
Wanyama made his Hoops debut when he came on against Cardiff City in the midweek friendly in Wales and is looking to push for trophies this term.
Interest
He said: "Aston Villa were interested but I chose to come here.
"I chose Celtic because I really wanted to win trophies and Celtic are a great club, an historical club.
"European football was another reason. Aston Villa aren't playing in the Europa League and Celtic will be.
"It was an easy choice for me."
Wanyama, who is in Neil Lennon's squad for Sunday's SPL opener against Hibernian at Easter Road, chose number 67 to show his appreciation to the Celtic team which beat Inter Milan in the final of the European Cup in 1967.
He revealed that he sought career advice from his brother, McDonald Mariga Wanyama - who plays for Inter.
Wanyama said: "I spoke to my brother and he helped me to choose Celtic.
"He told me this was a great step for me and I would have the chance to win trophies."
Meanwhile, Celtic manager Neil Lennon has joined Terry Butcher in criticising the early start to the SPL season.
With a view to improving Scottish clubs' chances in Europe, the new campaign begins this weekend but Butcher described it as "farcical", claiming that most clubs have still not assembled their squads.
Go along
Celtic boss Lennon backed his Inverness counterpart, saying: "It's too early. I can understand the reasoning or the thinking behind it.
"But we finished on the 21st of May and we were back in on the 23rd of June and the season is starting on Sunday.
"Physically they are all right but you wonder about mental fatigue kicking in, maybe not early in the season but maybe later on in the season so we have to be wary of that."
