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Photo credit should read FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP/Getty Images
Photo credit should read FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP/Getty Images

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One to Watch: Celtic fans must be patient with talented youngster Daniel Arzani

Stephen Ganavas
Stephen Ganavas

It has been a strange start to life at Celtic for 19-year-old loan signing Daniel Arzani.

After arriving to much with much promise from Manchester City, after some excellent sub appearances for Australia at this year’s World Cup, he has found himself behind the eight-ball in terms of his preparation for this season.

The Australian took an extended break after the World Cup, which marked the conclusion of a long debut season in professional football for the teenager.

Arzani is so far behind in his pre-season preparations that Celtic decided to leave him out of their 43-man squad list for the Europa League group stages.

Celtic assistant coach Chris Davies insisted that fans should not be concerned about Arzani’s future at the club.

“Daniel is a young player, he is still adapting to the environment here. He is two weeks into his training programme here, which is, in normal terms, still early pre-season,” Davies said, as reported by .

(Photo by Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images)

“He still has a way to go to get up to speed, but he has a two-year loan and we are going to support his development.

“His main priority is to build up his condition, he’s had half a development team game.”

At a press conference from a Socceroos training camp in Turkey this week, manager Graham Arnold was also upbeat about the prospects of Arzani at Celtic.

“I do know Celtic rate him very highly. The kid has only been there two weeks and needs a little bit of time to let him settle,” Arnold said, as reported by .

Fans must be patient as Arzani eases his way into the first-team set-up.

All the indications point towards the notion that the Australian will be a valued member of Brendan Rodgers’ Celtic squad when he is up to speed with the required fitness levels.

Those who watched his performances at the World Cup will recognise the excitement he will bring to Celtic Park when he is ready to debut.