The signing of Polish u21 defender, Maik Nawrocki hogged the headlines as the former Legia Warsaw defender became Brendan Rodgers’ fifth summer signing.
Nawrocki spent the day yesterday completing his media duties and it was very clear from watching and listening to him that he is desperate to play for the club and play in front of a packed Celtic Park.
And whilst the defender has an ambition to play in the Champions League next season, the new Celtic signing has said that he hopes the move to Glasgow will help make his international dream become a reality.
Nawrocki said [Daily Record print edition page 55], “I was first of all happy to be in the squad because I hadn’t been in one before. The World Cup would have been my first nomination. I was more happy than disappointed.
“It’s a bigger club and a stronger league. There’s the Champions League too so if I can improve myself then maybe it will be easier to get into the national team.
“It’s a dream for me to play for Poland. It’s something I hope I will achieve soon.
“Unfortunately it didn’t happen at Legia but I think I’m now at a place where I can make the step soon.”
Nawrocki was on the fringes of the Polish national squad last year. He was tipped to make the squad for the Qatar World Cup but was cut at the last minute and failed to make the final 26-man squad.
Nawrocki has plenty of experience at junior international level. He was first capped for the Polish u15’s when he made his debut against Finland in a 5-0 win.
Since then, he has been capped at every level, barring u20’s, and has, so far, been bypassed for that elusive senior cap that he so craves.
But at Celtic, he hopes to kick his national career on and convince the Poland boss, Fernando Santos, to choose him for the upcoming Euro 2024 qualifier against the Faroe Islands in September.
In other news, New signing Maik Nawrocki shares his playing style and personality; what to expect at Celtic
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