Celtic sign Manchester City defender Dedryck Boyata

Celtic are delighted to announce the signing of Belgium defender Dedryck Boyata on a 4-year contract. Picture: SNS

The centre back has joined the club on a four-year deal.

Boyata is expected to fill the void left by Jason Denayer who has returned to Manchester City after a successful season on loan at Celtic where he won the PFA Scotland Young Player of the Year award.

Boyata, 24, will join up with his new team-mates later this month when they report back for pre-season training ahead of the Uefa Champions League qualifiers.

Boyata joined Manchester City in 2006 and made his first-team debut in January 2010. The following season he made 17 appearances for City, and picked up an FA Cup winner’s medal when he was an unused substitute in the 1-0 final win over Wigan Athletic.

He subsequently had loan spells at Bolton Wanderers and FC Twente, before returning to Manchester City.

Boyata told Celtic TV: “Celtic are a very big club and it feels good to be a part of it.

“The manager came to see me in Manchester and I spoke to him about having me here and all the ideas he had for me playing for the team.

Dedryck Boyata played six times for Manchester City last season. Picture: SNS

“So I was very pleased with his plans and from that point I thought that moving to Celtic would be a good idea and we tried to do everything right for me to move here.”

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