The Wilfried Nancy era at Celtic was a nightmare of the highest order, but he did do one thing right, and that’s sign Julian Araujo.
Amazingly enough, Araujo was Nancy’s only signing, and it could be argued that he is Celtic’s best purchase from the January transfer window.
Before Celtic’s win over Aberdeen on Wednesday night, Araujo wanted to give flowers to Nancy for ‘giving me the opportunity’ to play for the Hoops.
“I am very thankful to Nancy for bringing me into this club, for giving me the opportunity, from Bournemouth, where I wasn’t getting any minutes,” said Araujo.
“With Nancy leaving, obviously, it does play with your head a little bit, because he was the one who brought me in.”
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When Alistair Johnston returns to fitness, would you pick him over Julian Araujo?
Julian Araujo on being Wilfried Nancy’s only signing at Celtic
Araujo has been outstanding for Celtic, and many now want his loan deal from Bournemouth to become permanent in the summer.
It perhaps sums up the crazy nature of football when the Mexico international signs for Celtic, makes his debut in the Glasgow derby at Parkhead, and then the man who brought him in is booted out of the door.
But Araujo understands that all of that is just simply part and parcel of what the modern game is like, as he told Sky Sports Football (04/03/26).
Luke Shanley: “You sign under one manager, and then he leaves very quickly after that and a new one, I was going to say comes in, but comes back. What’s that like?”
Araujo: “It’s part of football. I have been through it already, early on in my career. I am very thankful to Nancy for bringing me into this club, for giving me the opportunity, from Bournemouth, where I wasn’t getting any minutes.
“My main goal was to get to a team where I could play games and help them out as much as possible. With Nancy leaving, obviously, it does play with your head a little bit, because he was the one who brought me in.”
Araujo on speaking to Shaun Maloney before joining Celtic
The one thing that allowed Araujo to breathe easier when Nancy was booted out of Celtic was the fact that he spoke with Shaun Maloney.
Araujo didn’t go into detail about what he said, but he spoke with the Hoops legend when Nancy was still at Lennoxtown.
So when Martin O’Neill returned, alongside Maloney, it made life easier for Araujo.
“But before I came, I also spoke to Shaun Maloney,” added Araujo. “When I knew that Martin was going to come back, and he was going to be part of the coaching staff. I felt more reassured, I think.”
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