Luke McCowan has emerged as Celtic’s latest cult hero as the boyhood fan continues to make an impression after joining from Dundee on deadline day.
Arriving for a bargain £1 million, the 26-year-old made his debut against Rangers just two days later, sampling what may be to come in green and white.
However, he would’ve been grateful for the recent international break to enjoy a couple of weeks settling in at Lennoxtown. Coming in from a new environment isn’t straightforward; it takes time to acclimatise to different aspects of life at a new club.
Making the most of this time, McCowan came off the bench last weekend to deliver his maiden Celtic goal against Heart of Midlothian, with his late strike squirming past Craig Gordon to settle a 2-0 victory over Steven Naismith’s men.
Enjoying a positive start to life under the spotlight, Michael Stewart has road-mapped how the former Dark Blues captain could make an even bigger impact moving forward.
Micheal Stewart confident of Luke McCowan Celtic success
Speaking on the Scottish Football Social Club, Stewart believes that competition in Celtic’s midfield could give McCowan a conceivable chance to establish himself in Brendan Rodgers’ starting line-up.
He stated: “Huge, a great moment for both of the guys, their first goals for the club. Obviously, for Luke McCowan, being a Celtic supporter, I think Brendan Rodgers spoke about it himself after the game (saying) that it’s a special goal.
“For a lot of Celtic supporters, they realise this guy is a good player, but look at him as just a squad player.
“I genuinely do believe that with the number of games that Celtic have got and the quality that he’s got, he’ll be knocking on that door to really have a shout at playing in the big games because I think he’s a top talent. Engels looks good as well, I think the two of them are good additions.”
Luke McCowan will have his chances at Celtic
Ultimately, McCowan wouldn’t have been brought in during the summer if he wasn’t a trusted operator ready to be called upon by Rodgers.
It is easy to forget that he is joint-second in the Scottish Premiership scoring charts, offering a combination of industry and goals in the engine room.
Of course, he may need to wait for his chance to start. Arne Engels and Paulo Bernardo offer some stiff competition for the third berth in midfield, but don’t count McCowan out.
Capping a magnificent rise from the lower leagues, the 26-year-old is primed to be an important part of the Bhoys’ quest for success this term.
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