Odin Thiago Holm has been announced as the first signing of the Brendan Rodgers era and comes with an exciting reputation and plenty of potential.
Still just 20, the midfielder has long been a name to watch in Norway, attracting attention from all over Europe as one of the next wave of potential stars from the country.
So much so that he was even included on The Guardian’s Next Generation list in 2020, alongside other top talents such as Florian Wirtz and Xavi Simons.
His listing there has thrown up some interesting information, too, including links to three of the biggest clubs in Europe and their attempts to tempt him away from Valerenga.
Journalist Michael Yokhin writes: “Back in 2018, when Manchester United were following Erling Haaland’s progress, their scouts were delighted to discover another Norwegian prodigy. Holm, who had already visited Liverpool for trials, was flattered but didn’t want to rush things. He refused to join Juventus academy too, preferring to stay in his homeland.
“Valerenga promised to promote him to the first squad quickly – and were true to their word, as Holm is now an integral part of their Eliteserien squad. The midfielder’s dream is to play for Barcelona and his idol is Thiago Alcântara – to the extent that he chose to legally adopt Thiago as his middle name, even though it wasn’t easy to convince his parents.”
So, not only do we have an exciting sign that big clubs rate his natural talent, but an origin story for that eye-catching middle name, too.
Holm went on to make 76 appearances in all competitions for the Norwegian side and is well-primed to compete immediately for a first-team position at Celtic. Yes, he’s young, but he’s not here to play a bit part role.
He’s had a measured, mature approach to his fledgling football career so far. The youngster has prioritised match minutes over big moves and that bodes well for the kind of character the Bhoys are getting here.
In other news, New Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers set to appear on popular YouTube channel.
Receive a digest of our best Celtic content each week direct to your mailbox
