The 29-year-old Dubliner Jonny Hayes has moved to Celtic after five years with Scottish side Aberdeen.
Hayes, capped three times for his country last year, spent three years with Inverness Caley Thistle before his move to Aberdeen in 2012, and he has been one of Aberdeen’s most impressive performers in recent seasons.
Hayes bagged 11 goals for the Aberdeen last season, including two against Celtic in the final month of the season, and won Player of the Year nominations.
Irish internationalist Jonny Hayes signs for #CelticFC on a three-year deal. Welcome, Jonny!
➡️ https://t.co/jyWbyidsVY pic.twitter.com/TF1YrjBpmv
— Celtic Football Club (@CelticFC) June 17, 2017
Birmingham and Cardiff were also reportedly in pursuit of Hayes, but Brendan Rodgers has won the race for the winger, making him the Hoops’ first signing of the transfer window for a fee believed to be in the region of €1.5 million.
Hayes, who was speaking to Celtics’ website on Saturday is delighted with the move.
“This is a huge honour for me. It is a dream come true to be part of this brilliant football club and I can’t wait to get started. I’m delighted. Celtic have done well over the last few seasons and with the manager coming in last year he raised the level again. It was hard last year seeing all the celebrations and all the stuff on social media and you want that for yourself and to be part of it,” said Hayes to the Celtic website.
“Now it’s my chance and hopefully, going forward, I can create my own little bit of history and take the chance I’ve been given.”
Hayes’ last game for the Dons was in the Scottish Cup final, where his early goal gave Aberdeen the lead before goals from Stuart Armstrong and Tom Rogic secured the cup and the domestic treble for Celtic.
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