Eboue Kouassi puts Celtic move down to Kolo Toure
Thursday 26 January 2017 18:23, UK
Eboue Kouassi says Kolo Toure played a big part in him moving to Celtic during the January transfer window.
Kouassi made the switch to Parkhead from Russian side Krasnodar on a four-year deal earlier this month for an undisclosed fee.
The 19-year-old sought advice from Ivory Coast compatriot Toure before completing a move to Scottish football, with Kouassi explaining how his new club team-mate persuaded him that Celtic was the right place for his development.
Kouassi said: "When I heard Celtic were interested I was happy because Celtic is a club with a big history so I was happy to learn that they were interested in me.
"Kolo gave me some advice, the main thing was not to hesitate, just come to Celtic, it is a great club, it is a fantastic club.
"He told me that they will look after you and make you progress, make you an even better player than you are at the moment.
"There are loads of great players who have come to Celtic before like Victor Wanyama and Bobo Balde and it has a great coach at the moment.
"All I am interested in is making progress and I really feel this is the best place for me to progress."
Unlike Toure, Kouassi is as yet uncapped at senior international level but is confident his move to Celtic will facilitate those dreams, saying, "this will have an impact on my international career with Ivory Coast".
Kouassi, who played Europa League football with Krasnodar, has also put his decision down to the prospect of Champions League football, with Celtic able to secure a spot in the qualifying rounds if they win the Scottish Premiership.
"When I was a small kid in Africa, to be honest I did not know much about Celtic," Kouassi added. "But as soon as I grew up and when football was obviously going to be my career I started to watch Champions League games and then you can't help but notice a club like Celtic.
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"I recall in particular watching Celtic beat Barcelona here (in 2012) and more recently the game against Manchester City and Barcelona again.
"To think that I am here when I was watching them on television is something."
Asked about reports that he had arrived in Scotland with malaria, he said: "The club wanted to send me to hospital as a precautionary measure but everything is fine and there is nothing to worry about."
