Leigh Griffiths has joined Celtic on a four year deal after passing a medical last night with the champions.
The former Hibs’ striker travelled north yesterday after Wolverhampton Wanderers accepted Celtic’s third bid.
Griffiths could make his debut against St Mirren on Sunday depending on international clearance although his first start is more likely to come against Aberdeen at Parkhead in next week’s William Hill Scottish Cup.
After signing, Griffiths told the club website : “I´m just delighted it´s finally done now. It´s been a long day and I just can´t wait to get started tomorrow in training. It was in the middle of December that I first found out there was interest and as soon as the window opened I was just praying for it to be done. It has gone to the last day but it´s finally done now, and I´m delighted. The chance to come to Celtic is once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and you have to grab it with both hands. You can´t turn it down.”
“I am coming to the biggest club in Scotland to win things, hopefully play in the Champions League and just get better as a player. The gaffer has been very supportive to me in the press so far and he knows what I can do,” he said. “That´s why he has brought me to the squad and hopefully I can add goals and help the team win trophies.
“The first time I spoke to Neil was this morning at the training ground and he was very easy to talk to – he said what he wanted from me and I told him what I would bring to the team. He´s happy that he has brought me in and I can´t wait to get going.
“We have good strikers here, but the manager sees me as a good player and hopefully I can force my way into the team and stay there.
“I have only played a handful of games for Scotland and I don´t think I have done myself any justice so far,” he said. “But there is no bigger place to play than in the Champions League and hopefully in six months time I will be doing that.”
Griffiths started his professional career with Livingston where he scored 24 goals in 43 starts before moving to Dundee. He kept up his scoring record with an impressive 29 goals in 49 starts.
After moving to Wolves, the Edinburgh born striker was sent out on loan to his boyhood favourites Hibs where he helped the club reach consecutive Scottish Cup finals, scoring 39 goals in 72 starts.
In the summer he returned to the midlands and this season has scored 13 goals in 21 starts.
John graduated from Telford College in 2010 with an HNC in Practical Journalism and since then he worked for the North Edinburgh News, The Southern Reporter, the Irish News Review and The Edinburgh Reporter. In addition he has been published in the Edinburgh Evening News and the Hibernian FC Programme.
