Neil Lennon finds a ‘nugget’ in Rabiu Ibrahim

NEIL Lennon believes he may have unearthed a rare talent in Rabiu Ibrahim who can evoke memories among the Celtic supporters of Shunsuke Nakamura.

Almost as soon as Lennon made the comparison yesterday between his new 20-year-old Nigerian midfield recruit and the multi-title winning Japanese free-kick specialist, he could visualise the headlines which would follow.

“Please don’t say he’s the new Naka,” said Lennon with a wry smile. But while keen not to over burden Ibrahim with expectations, the Celtic manager could not hide his enthusiasm over the player who will join his squad on a three-and-a-half year contract this month, subject to obtaining a work permit.

It took only a 60-minute appearance in a closed door friendly against St Johnstone to persuade Lennon and his coaching staff that trialist Ibrahim, a free agent after an unsuccessful stint with PSV Eindhoven, should be signed. “He is something a little bit different to what we’ve already got,” said Lennon. “He’s kind of like a playmaker who operates off the striker. He ghosts into positions between the midfield and back four. He has good balance, can see a pass and has an eye for a goal as well. He can play anywhere across the front, but the day we played him in a bounce game he stuck out like a sore thumb. I just felt there and then that we’d seen enough to give him a deal.

“He reminded me a bit of Nakamura. Technically he is very good and predominantly all left foot. He could take the ball in well, although I don’t know yet what he is like at free kicks. But, like Naka, he can always find space to buy himself a bit of time in a frantic match and he has great game awareness.”

Despite being regarded as one of the most exciting talents to emerge in African football in recent years, Ibrahim has yet to make a significant impact in European club football in spells at Sporting Lisbon and PSV.

“I haven’t sat down and spoken to him about it yet, so I don’t know why he left PSV,” added Lennon. “Maybe he just wasn’t getting enough games for his liking. For whatever reasons it didn’t work out, we have been really impressed with him.

“He came to Europe with a huge reputation and sometimes early in your career that can be more detrimental than helpful. He will improve as he goes on. He might take a bit of time to adjust to the British game, but he knows how to get around a football pitch. That’s why I don’t see any harm in having players come in on trial. They might not have done well at their last club for whatever reason but they come in for nothing we have a look and nothing is lost.

“A lot of the time it’s not for us but every now and then you pick up someone who is beneficial to us. You can pick up a few nuggets up as you go along.”

Lennon is confident he has secured another valuable addition in 24-year-old Polish defender Jaroslaw Fojut. The Slask Wroclaw player has agreed a pre-contract agreement to join Celtic in June, a move unlikely to be brought forward to the current transfer window.

“We’ve got a good quota of central defenders and although I’ve not completely ruled out Jaroslaw coming here now, I don’t think it’s a necessity with what we already have,” said Lennon. “I played against him for Nottingham Forest when he was a 19-year-old on loan from Bolton at Luton Town and I often wondered what happened to him. His name popped up a couple of months ago and we decided to have a look at him with Slask Wroclaw. We were very impressed in what we saw. He is aggressive and very good in the air.”

Fojut’s arrival would seem to cast some doubt over the future of Daniel Majstorovic who will be 35 in April and is out of contract at the end of the season. But Lennon insists the veteran Swedish stopper may still be offered a new deal by Celtic.

“We’ll speak with Daniel when the time comes,” insisted Lennon. “I’ve been very happy with him. He was playing very well up until his recent injury and is now back in training.

“He has a good influence around the dressing room. He’s got a big couple of months coming up in terms of his international career, with Sweden going to the Euro 2012 finals, and it’s important he fully focuses on that. He is experienced enough to know he can come and talk with me at any time but for the time being there is no need to wag the bone.”

Lennon, meanwhile, insisted there was “no change” in Celtic’s position regarding leading scorer Gary Hooper, despite ongoing interest from Southampton. He also dismissed speculation linking him with Charlton Athletic’s French striker Yann Kermorgant, stating firmly “there is nothing in it”.