Oh Hyeon-gyu makes Celtic debut in 2-0 win against Dundee

Football

Published: 30 Jan. 2023, 09:30 Updated: 30 Jan. 2023, 17:30

Oh Hyeon-gyu makes Celtic debut in 2-0 win against Dundee

Oh Hyeon-gyu makes his debut appearance for Celtic in a Scottish Premiership game against Dundee United at Tannadice Park in Dundee, Scotland on Sunday. [REUTERS/YONHAP]

Korean midfielder Oh Hyeon-gyu debuted Sunday in his first Scottish Premiership match, appearing for the final 13 minutes of the game as Celtic took on Dundee United on the road.

Unsurprisingly, Oh was not able to achieve much in that time, but had a few solid touches and very nearly kicked his Scottish career off with a sensational assist when a brilliant cross to Daizen Maeda was headed just over the bar.

Oh’s arrival has created a buzz at Scotland’s top club, with fans keen to see how the young former Suwon Samsung Bluewings star translates to a more aggressive lead.

It doesn’t hurt that he also comes with his own prepackaged chant — Celtics fans have been quick to realize the potential of repurposing the chorus from seminal Scottish rock band Pilot’s 1974 hit “Magic” for the Korean defender: “Oh, oh, oh it’s magic.”

Oh Hyeon-gyu waves to fans before making his debut appearance for Celtic in a Scottish Premiership game against Dundee United at Tannadice Park in Dundee, Scotland on Sunday. [REUTERS/YONHAP]

Oh signed with Celtic on Jan. 25 in a deal reportedly valued at £2.5 million ($3-million) after a drawn-out transfer saga that saw the Scottish club’s offer initially rejected before both Oh and the Bluewings manager made it clear they thought he deserved the opportunity.

Oh scored 14 goals in 39 appearances across all competitions in the 2022 K League season. He was called up to the senior Korean squad for the first time on Nov. 11, playing 18 minutes of a friendly against Iceland, and landing on the reserves list for the 2022 Qatar World Cup.

He had reportedly been on Celtic’s radar for a while, and manager Ange Postecoglou certainly seems happy with the signing.

“I kind of knew after I got off the call with him, that he was exactly the right type for us,” Postecoglou said last week. “His own determination to get a deal done shows you that.

“For him, it was not about driving the best deal for himself and I am not sure his agent would have been too happy with him. He just wanted to come to Celtic and it didn't matter what the deal was he just wanted to come and play for us. As a manager that excites you, because that's the kind of players and people, you want in the building.”

Postecoglou will likely play Oh for increasingly longer periods as he gets used to the league over the next few weeks, although with two fixtures in the next week — against No. 4 Livingston on Wednesday and No. 8 St. Johnstone on Sunday — that increased playing time may come soon than expected.

BY JIM BULLEY [jim.bulley@joongang.co.kr]