'This is the moment I have dreamed of' Oh Hyeon-gyu says on arrival in Celtic

Oh Hyeon-gyu poses with his Celtic jersey. [YONHAP]

Celtic announced Wednesday that Korean midfielder Oh Hyeon-gyu signed a five-year deal worth £2.5 million ($3 million) with the Scottish club.

The Scottish side have been keen to sign the 21-year-old since December last year in search of a new striker. His move to Scotland comes as Celtic are on the verge of losing existing striker Giorgos Giakouamkis, who looks set to move to J1 League’s Urawa Red Diamonds.

Oh’s stats last season with the Suwon Samsung Bluewings are likely the biggest factor that facilitated his move, scoring 15 goals in 39 appearances across all competitions in the 2022 K League.

The Korean forward has not always been a key player for the Bluewings. His debut season ended with zero goals, with the 2022 season actually the first and only season in which he scored multiple times for the Suwon side.

But Oh really showed what he had to offer in his breakout year, also earning a spot in the national team for the first time in November last year in a friendly match against Iceland. He also landed on the reserves list for the 2022 Qatar World Cup, although he did not play a single minute in the tournament.

In an exclusive interview with Celtic TV on Wednesday, Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou said, “I’m really pleased. He’s someone that [head scout] Mark Lawwell and myself identified really early on.

“So it’s great to have him here. I’m sure he’ll add to our football club. I’m really excited by the potential he has but also the impact he can make straight away. I just think he’s a really good fit for us.”

Oh was also pleased as he revealed his thoughts on the move through Celtic’s twitter: “This is the moment I have dreamed of and I’m really excited to perform in front of the fans at the stadium.”

The Korean forward started his career at the Suwon Samsung Bluewings in 2019 after spending five years in their youth team. He then spent two years with the Sangmu military club, completing his military service in 2021. Afterward, he rejoined the Bluewings and has played there since.

His move to Celtic makes him the third Korean player to play for the Scottish side after Ki Sung-yeung and Cha Du-ri, who both played for the Glasgow club in the early 2010s.

Celtic could act as a springboard to other European clubs. Ki, who played for the Scottish team for two seasons, was able to transfer to Swansea City in the Premier League in 2012 after performing consistently well in Scotland. Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk also played for Celtic for two seasons before he moved to Southampton in the Premier League in 2015.

Oh could follow the path of the former Celts if he constantly improves and proves his class during his time at Celtic.

Celtic have always been a top club in the Scottish Premiership, having won the league 52 times. They won the title last season, which secured them a ticket to the 2022-23 Champions League, but they failed to advance to the round of 16.

Oh will likely spend the remainder of this season adapting to his new team and will look to get on the scoreboard early to prove his worth.

With Oh joining Celtic, there is now a higher chance that he will be called up for the national team again. He may even have an opportunity to show his class and increase his market value at the 2023 AFC Asian Cup if he gets called up for national team duty.

Meanwhile, Celtic will play their next league game against Dundee United at Tannadice Park in Dundee, Scotland, on Monday. Oh will likely be introduced to the fans at the game.

BY PAIK JIHWAN AND JIM BULLEY [paik.jihwan@joongang.co.kr]