Osaze Urhoghide: Celtic sign Sheffield Wednesday defender
- Published
Defender Osaze Urhoghide made 16 league starts last season as Sheffield Wednesday finished bottom of the Championship
Osaze Urhoghide has joined Celtic on a four-year deal from Sheffield Wednesday to become new manager Ange Postecoglou's first signing.
The 20-year-old defender made 21 appearances for Wednesday - including 17 last season - after moving from AFC Wimbledon two years ago.
Celtic say they fended off interest from "a number of top clubs in England and Europe" to land Urhoghide.
"He's someone the club's been tracking for a while," said Postecoglou.
"And when I came on board, I managed to have a meeting with him and he's a good young man, he's very ambitious.
"He can play a couple of positions at the back and, importantly, he's really keen to learn and develop and I think this will be a great environment for him.
"He's a modern defender. He's good athletically, he's mobile, he's quick and he wants to get on the ball."
The Netherlands-born defender is joined in Glasgow by former Hillsborough team-mate Liam Shaw, who arrived at Celtic earlier this month after signing a pre-contract in March.
Urhoghide marks the start of Postecoglou's transfer business as he seeks to bolster a depleted squad, with the Australian's first competitive match a Champions League qualifier against Midtjylland on 20 July.
"It feels great to get it over the line," said Urhoghide. "It's been a long season making a decision where to go.
"To have the manager speak to you and to know he wants you is great."
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