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Celtic complete signings of Colin Kazim-Richards and Patrick Roberts

Colin Kazim-Richards
Image: Colin Kazim-Richards has swapped Feyenoord for Glasgow

Celtic have completed the signings of Patrick Roberts and Colin Kazim-Richards on Transfer Deadline Day.

Roberts joins on an 18-month loan deal from Manchester City, who paid £12m to sign him from Fulham in July 2015, while Kazim-Richards has agreed a two-and-a-half year deal after leaving Feyenoord.

"As soon as my agent called me I was jumping at the bit," said the England U19 international. "I am here for a long time and I want to be as successful as anyone else.

"Celtic are huge in Scotland and huge in Europe and that is what I want. I hope to get a chance and make my name from there. I can take my time to bed in and get used to the club."

Asked if he was looking forward to pulling on the famous Hoops, he added: "I used to wear the kit when I was a youngster as my mum used to buy me them.

Patrick Roberts loan signing at Celtic from Manchester City
Image: Patrick Roberts is hoping to get the fans out of their seats at Celtic Park

"It is the biggest club in Scotland. They play in Europe, they play in a massive stadium like this, what's not to know about them.

"I am here for a long time and I want to be as successful as anyone else and win trophies. I am very direct, I am very quick, I like to get them [fans] off their seats, which I hope to many, many times."

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Former Sheffield United and Blackburn striker Kazim-Richards makes the move to Glasgow after serving a two-week ban at Feyenoord for threatening a journalist who queried his attitude.

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Neil McCann believes Colin Kazim-Richards will be a good signing for Celtic.

The 29-year-old, who began his career at Bury and had spells in England with Brighton and Sheffield United before moving to Fenerbahce in 2011, has been capped 37 times for Turkey and is hopeful of being part of the squad for this summer's European Championship in France. 

"To tell you the truth, I didn't really want to come back to Britain," he said after being paraded at Celtic Park. "To be able to do the things I have been able to do and experience the experiences I have, I didn't think I could get it from anywhere in the UK. But then this opportunity came.

"To try and play in the Champions League again with a club like this, and to be able to win things with a club like this, is what I have been searching for going to Galatasaray, Fenerbahce, Olympiacos.

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After three years out of the British game, Colin Kazim-Richards says joining Celtic from Feyenoord is a massive opportunity

"Now I've got it back at home and I can't stop smiling because it's a massive opportunity for me. I've got two kids, I'm a family man, I'm more mature. I left here when I was 19 and I went to Turkey.

"Whether I am Turkish or not, I didn't grow up in Turkey, so it was still a massive, massive culture shock for me. And I think personally I coped with it well and I've become a better man and ultimately a better footballer.

"How am I going to handle the pressure? I've been around and I played at big clubs. Maybe it's not as intense as it can be here, but I've got a genuine feeling of how it can be.

Celtic manager Ronny Deila with new signing Erik Sviatchenko
Image: Celtic manager Ronny Deila with new signing Erik Sviatchenko

"We have some young players here and sometimes it can be scary as a young player playing in front of this type of atmosphere and bleeding green and white every single day. And I can help them with that."

The two new arrivals have prompted Nadir Ciftci to leave, the striker having sealed a loan move to Turkish Super Liga side Eskisehirspor until the end of the season.

The former Dundee United striker - who is represented by Pierre van Hooijdonk - only joined in the summer but has failed to nail down a regular place in Ronny Deila's side, scoring only four goals in 22 appearances and has opting to return to his homeland.

The signings of Roberts and Kazim-Richards took Deila's transfer-window recruits to three following the arrival of Erik Sviatchenko earlier this month.  

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