Vakoun Issouf Bayo

Give me a RB and CB and I will be happy

 

Good guy.

 

BRENDAN Rodgers has made his third signing of the January transfer window with the arrival of Vakoun Issouf Bayo, who has joined Celtic on a four-year deal from Slovakian side, Dunajska Streda.

The 21-year-old Ivory Coast striker has scored 18 goals in 23 games so far this season in Slovakia, and the Celtic manager praised the new Bhoy's speed, presence and physicality in the final third.

Speaking exclusively to Celtic TV at the squad’s Dubai mid-season training camp, the manager said: “He’s a good signing and it’s another forward player for us, which increases our options on the front-line for the second part of the season.

“He’s a young player that has scored goals, he’s broken into the Ivory Coast national team, Kolo knows him well, and he’s a player we can develop. I’m looking forward to working with him.

“We’re a team that plays an aggressive and attacking game, and I felt that was an area that we were short in, in terms of our options. Bringing Oliver and Timothy in will strengthen in central and wide areas, and bringing Vakoun in as well gives us a physicality, as well as a presence and speed.

"This allows us more options in terms of the systems that we play. The style will always be the same, but it increases the way in which we can play.”

Brendan Rodgers also underscored the importance of bringing in the new players so early in the transfer window, as it gives them more time to mix and converse with the squad. Likewise, he’s keen to reintroduce his team’s injured stars, and looks forward to the return of Tom Rogic from international duty.

“Ideally, you want to get deals done as soon as possible into the transfer window, so that you get the chance to work with the players,” said the manager. “It’s good that they’re here, they’re working, they can adapt quicker, and what’s also important is to get the injured players back.

“The likes of Tom Rogic, too, these are players of quality that can make a real difference for us. Hopefully we can get those guys back in, and with the additions to the squad, that should set us up for the second part of the season.

 

Bae

 

I heard him being called "Dominic McDesmond" once.

Didnae even bother correcting the poor illiterate *

 

* *. That's a screamer.

 

That's brilliant mate, really funny

 

Is he already with us in Dubai?

 

Good sign that Kolo knows him well!

 

So has this been confirmed as a lubo scouted signing?

 

Thats a foul.

 

I wonder if kolo toure is taking more to do with transfers

 

THIS week, Celtic welcomed Vakoun Issouf Bayo to Paradise in a four-year deal which sees him join the club until 2023. The 21-year-old has signed from Slovak Super League side, Dunajska Streda, and having scored 18 goals in 23 games this season, Celtic legend Lubomir Moravcik reckons Bayo can transfer his current impressive goalscoring form to Scottish football.

Speaking to the official Celtic website, Moravcik – who scored 35 goals in 129 appearances for the Hoops between 1998 and 2002 – praised Bayo’s goalscoring record in the Slovakian league.

“Wherever you play in the world, scoring goals isn’t easy,” said Moravcik. “No matter where you are or who you’re playing, defenders want to stop strikers. But Bayo’s ability and performances in Slovakia have been very good, he’s skilful and has proven he can score goals here, and I’m certain he can do the same in Scotland. If he can score goals in Slovakia, he can score goals anywhere in the world. A goalscorer is always a goalscorer

“I saw Bayo play in one particular game near the start of the season, and he scored the winning goal in the last minute. He’s been a very important player for Dunajska Streda, he’s scored a lot of goals, and he’s got a lot of potential. He’s young, he’s quick. He might need time to adapt, but I definitely think he’s got a lot of promise.”

The Ivory Coast internationalist has scored a host of goals with his head, which is also something Lubo thinks can help the Scottish champions in the second half of the season.

Moravcik added: “There were many players who could score with their head from set-pieces in the Celtic team I was part of, and football teams always welcome players who can make those count. Now in football, it’s very important to have players who are good in the penalty box, especially with their head.

“That’s an important part of the game, and an important part of Celtic’s game. Celtic are a team who often dominate games, they get a lot of set-pieces, so I think a player like Bayo, who can come in and affect that part of the game, will be very important for the club.”

 

Kolo and Thierry Henry are close friends. It was Thierry Henry that first spotted Weah when he was playing in the MLS.
Henry does a lot of scouting so does Toure and they have the same connections in terms of agents and finding new players.
Thought it was interesting. Steven "sellout" Gerrard obviously you'd think he has a great network of contacts. Couple of weeks back he was name dropping people he'd spoken to. However nobody figured Kolo Toure has these incredible contacts in the game from his time at Arsenal.

 

As Gerrard is an utter * of the highest order i doubt he even has any friends that aren't hanger-ons or scouse gangster wannabes nevermind a network of former team mates and club associates.

 

He’s just signed a former teammate.

 

BILEL MOHSNI doubled up as an interpreter and team-mate for Vakoun Issouf Bayo.

Now he expects Celtic’s latest signing to translate his goals from Slovakia to Scotland.

Former Rangers and Dundee United man Mohsni starred with Bayo in Tunisia when they played for Etoile Du Sahel.

And the 31-year-old helped him with the language because the Ivory Coast star only spoke French.

Three years on, Bayo has become a £2million Celtic player after scoring 18 goals in 23 games for Dunajska Streda in Slovakia.

And Mohsni always reckoned he’d end up at a big club one day.

He said: “When Vakoun was with Etoile Du Sahel he couldn’t speak Arabic so I helped him by speaking in French to him.

“He was a young person in a country he didn’t know but he put the effort into it and soon settled.

“He is a great person and a very good player.

“From the first day I saw him in training I thought ‘wow — this guy will end up playing in Europe’.

“He was very young then, only 19 but he was playing for the first-team and making a real impact.

“So it is not a surprise to me that he has now moved to a club of Celtic’s size.

“I have seen he scored a lot of goals in Slovakia and read that big teams were after him.

“He will be a very good signing for Celtic, he’s got the qualities you need to play in Scotland.

“He is quick and strong so he will give defences plenty of trouble and I can’t see many people knocking him around.

“The style of Scottish football will suit him because of his strength. I think it’s a very good signing for Celtic.

“Even though he is just 21, I don’t think he will be fazed by stepping up to a big club.

“He is very level-headed, he just likes to play football and is someone who is always happy.”