Welcome to Celtic, Sebastian Tounekti.

Tunisian and Norwegian means he's got good genes. Interesting splice!

 

MANY of Celtic’s new signings arrive in Scotland with half an eye on sealing a lucrative move to a wealthier club in a larger European football nation at some point in the future.


Seb Tounekti, the Tunisian internationalist who completed his £5.2m transfer from Hammarby in Sweden to the Scottish champions on the final day of the summer window, is slightly different.

He has turned down enticing offers to play at the very highest level in England and Germany in the past.

The 23-year-old, who endeared himself to the Glasgow giants’ supporters greatly with an impressive debut in the 2-1 win over Kilmarnock in the William Hill Premiership game at Rugby Park on Sunday, is only interested in the immediate challenges which lie ahead.

The winger is, having come off the bench and helped his country to beat Equatorial Guinea with an injury-time goal away in Malabo and qualify for the World Cup earlier this month, is desperate to be involved in Canada, Mexico and the United States next month.



He knows that to achieve his dream he has to help Celtic win trophies in Scotland and perform well in Europe in the coming months and he is determined to do so.





Tounekti was one of the hottest football properties in his native Norway when he was a kid and was courted by some of the continent’s most famous clubs. He has no regrets about turning them down and will not be giving much thought to where he can play next if he does well here.

“Many clubs were interested in me when I was a young boy,” he said as he spoke to the Scottish media for the first time at Parkhead this afternoon. “Clubs from the Bundesliga and the Premier League. There was a lot of interest in me when I was young. But I wanted to come through the first team way.

"I know many players who go to a youth team and then they stay in the youth team for many years. Maybe they don't get the development they need, especially physically. I wanted to stay with the first team and play with men.

“I went to Bodo/Glimt because they were a really good team. That has been one of the reasons why I developed so well physically. I felt like it was the right choice for me to go the other way.

“Having said that, there have been lots of ups and downs since then. Two or three years ago, it was a lot of downs. For me, the important thing was just to keep working. I trained a lot, especially on my own, so I could be ready when my chance arrived. Then it arrived and I took it.”







After several seasons of disappointment and struggle in Norway – he was allowed to leave Bodo/Glimt after failing to establish himself there and was then loaned out to second tier Ranheim after proving unable to force his way into the Haugesund side – Tounekti has suddenly flourished.

He is confident that his career can continue on its sharp upward trajectory under Brendan Rodgers, is keen to entertain Celtic supporters and is optimistic he can travel with Tunisia to the World Cup at the end of the 2025/26 campaign.

“I'm an ambitious guy and I want to improve in every game,” he said. “I'm a winger who likes to attack, likes to dribble, likes to take on players. You will never see me pass it back if I have a chance to go against a player. I will always try to make something happen. Hopefully, in the future that leads to a goal or an assist.

“I'm just excited and happy to be here. I have so much more to learn and to develop. But I think I'm in the best place to do that. Everyone knows about the coach, about Brendan. He's been at top clubs and has worked with top players. As a player, it's a dream to work with a coach like that.

“I know that I'm in the right place to develop and to take the next step. Do I feel this is my time now? One hundred per cent. When a club like Celtic is interested, you have to do it.”








Tounekti continued, "When I heard about their interest in the summer, it was a really easy choice. I told everyone around me, my agent, my family and also Hammarby, that if I wanted to leave now. I had only been there for months, but Celtic was the only club I wanted to go to.
"I think my playing style will fit in here. I love to bring energy to the fans and I’m a player who feeds off the energy from the fans. I think it's a good match. It's also one of the reasons why I wanted to come here.

"As a player, my mind is always on helping the team and improving as a player. I know that I can do it here in Celtic. I don't care too much about what the prize is and what they pay. The only focus is to try to help the team, win games and contribute with goals and assist








The Tromso-born wide man won his first international cap for Tunisia, the country of his father Anouar’s birth, in four years against Equatorial Guinea at the start of September and he is keen to stay involved with his adopted homeland in the months ahead.

That could involve a trip to the African Cup of Nations in Morocco in December and January. If he is called up, he will miss crucial fixtures. But he is not overly concerned about what awaits further down the line.

"We haven't spoken about that so much,” said Tounekti. “We only focus on the here and now. We have so many important games now in the league and cup and in Europe. That will be a discussion for later.

“I have one goal - to play at the World Cup next summer. I think that playing for Celtic, that playing here, has strengthened my chances of doing that. When you play for a massive club like this, it puts you in a stronger position at the national team level. I want to stay at Celtic for many years. I want to stay here and take big steps.”

 

Guy seems genuinely enthused to be here, love that. Sensing a bit of the Lustig love coming down the line

 

The boys a plerr