Kelvin Wilson says Celtic have been craving a top-quality centre-back ever since Virgil van Dijk left the membership.
And in new £6million man Cameron Carter-Vickers, he believes they’ve discovered their man.
The massive American worldwide signed on a everlasting deal from Spurs on Friday and dedicated himself to 4 years
at Parkhead.
Carter-Vickers was a revelation for Ange Postecoglou’s facet on mortgage final season.
He was a key participant within the Hoops’ cost in direction of a Premiership and League Cup double.
And by tying Carter-Vickers up for the long-term, Wilson feels he could be their finest defender since Van Dijk.
The Dutchman left Celtic for Southampton in 2015 earlier than transferring on to Liverpool and turning into the very best centre-half on the planet. Wilson, who spent two years in Glasgow, was impressed by Carter-Vickers’ shows final time period.
He mentioned: “Cam was arguably Celtic’s finest defender final season.
“He was by no means going to have an issue getting a transfer this summer time, whether or not it was to Celtic or elsewhere.
“However if you happen to go away Celtic, you must ensure it’s to a membership that’s simply as massive, if not greater – and that’s laborious.
“I watched some video games he performed in final season, like those in opposition to Rangers and the League Cup Ultimate.
“He was unbelievably good. He has such a presence due to the bodily facet to his sport – however he can play as effectively. He’d have been an enormous miss for Celtic if he hadn’t signed and he’d have been laborious to switch.
“Since Van Dijk left, they’ve struggled a bit to get in high quality centre-backs. However they’ve discovered one in Carter-Vickers and it’s nice that they’ve managed to maintain him on the membership.”
Carter-Vickers might in all probability have earned more cash by staying in England and Spurs wouldn’t have struggled to discover a purchaser.
However Wilson insists that until he’d gone to one of many massive Premier League outfits, he’d have been taking a step down from Parkhead.
The 36-year-old left Celtic for his boyhood membership Nottingham Forest in 2013 and knew he’d by no means once more play on a much bigger stage.
He mentioned: “There aren’t many golf equipment he might have gone to who might give him what Celtic will. That’s a million per cent true.
“Except it had been a top-half Premier League membership, he’d have been loopy to go anyplace apart from Celtic, particularly to the Championship in England.
“I did that and it wasn’t a remorse as a result of I got here again to my membership, Forest.
“On the flip facet, taking a look at my profession, I knew I wasn’t going to play for a much bigger membership than Celtic within the Championship.
“It’s even the case within the Premier League. Take a look at Gary Hooper, he left Celtic to go to Norwich and it wasn’t profitable.
“Gary could be first to inform you that until it’s a high Premier League membership, you gained’t get greater than Celtic. Clearly financially it might need been higher for him. However the cash Celtic are paying isn’t garbage – it’s nonetheless excellent.
“Celtic are going straight into the Champions League subsequent season so it was a no brainer for him to remain there.”
Carter-Vickers was eager to hold round at Celtic after turning into a followers’ favorite final season.
He’d agreed private phrases with the membership earlier this summer time however needed to wait till a £6million payment was agreed with Tottenham.
Which may have prompted sides in England to try to steal a march on the Scottish champions. However Wilson has praised Carter-Vickers for making his thoughts as much as be a part of Celtic and sticking to his weapons regardless of hypothesis over his future.
He was in the same scenario as a participant at Preston North Finish when he was determined to signal for Forest however the Deepdale membership have been making an attempt to flog him to Leeds United.
Wilson mentioned: “The participant can affect a scenario like that, to a sure diploma.
“I had a stage in my profession once I was virtually being compelled to signal for Leeds from Preston.
“I needed to go to Forest as a substitute. I held out, stood my floor and ended up getting my transfer.
“Some golf equipment may attempt to pressure the difficulty. They'll attempt to push the participant elsewhere for the monetary achieve of the membership.
“Nevertheless it was in Cameron’s coronary heart that he actually needed to go to Celtic.
“He’s stayed robust and caught to what he believes will likely be finest for his profession.]
“He clearly thought it was proper for him to go to Celtic and he’s held out for what he needed.
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“Which may have been a danger, in fact. I took an enormous gamble by what I did.
“As a result of if you find yourself staying on the membership, like Carter-Vickers at Spurs for instance, they usually don’t play you – it would imply not enjoying for months earlier than ultimately making an attempt to get a transfer within the January switch window.
“However by then, golf equipment will say, ‘He hasn’t performed in a very long time’.
“Fortunately for Celtic, he’s made his thoughts up early and it’s labored out for him and Celtic.”