New Celtic signing Joel van den Berg has offered supporters an insight into what he will bring to the club and his plans to contact a Hoops icon.

The 19-year-old was unveiled as Celtic’s tenth summer signing on Wednesday, with four players being announced on the day of the game against Aberdeen.

It was hard to keep up at one point. Shim Mheuka, Landon Emenalo and Jordan Lotomba were also unveiled, with Mheuka and fellow new arrival Oliver Sorensen being given their debuts in the 3-0 win over the Dons. 

Van den Berg arrived from Dutch champions PSV, where he signed his first professional contract in 2023. The midfielder made his first-team debut last season and made five appearances in their title-winning campaign.

Still young and learning, he also offers another option in the middle of the pitch for the Hoops.

He was pictured stepping off the team bus as the Celtic squad arrived at the stadium on Wednesday evening. That was before his announcement was even made official.

Although not in the squad, his debut will be right around the corner.

Speaking to the club after signing, van den Berg said (CFC Website):

“I want to show the best version of myself and develop as a player and also as a person, of course, and just make the fans proud.

“I’m a box-to-box midfielder. I also run back, but I also go forward. I think I put a lot of intensity in my game. I also have the ability to provide assists and also score goals. I think I have a lot of power in the duals, have good physicality, so I’m strong. I think that describes me as a midfielder.

“Celtic is a very big club and they have to be champions. So playing for the champions is, I think at this age, a very big step for me and very important.”

He also said he’s considering contacting former Celt Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink. The club icon is the technical director at the PSV U23 squad, offering another layer to van den Berg’s move.

“Obviously I know he played here. Maybe I’ll send him a text and ask him how it was.

“I’ve also spoken to other people from the club and I haven’t heard one single bad word about it.”

Hopefully it isn’t long until we see the central midfielder in action.

With the fixture list piling up, Martin O’Neill will look to his full squad to help out, and van den Berg seems raring to go for his new challenge.

If he were to deliver half as many memorable moments as Vennegoor of Hesselink, he’d be a hero. Let’s not get carried away, though.