Matchwinner Albian Ajeti reminds Neil Lennon of former Celtic goalscorer Gary Hooper

Manager says new striker will have ‘a new lease of life’ at Parkhead

Gary Hooper was a regular goalscorer for Celtic from 2010 to 2013. Picture: SNS.

Neil Lennon suggested Albian Ajeti has a touch of former Celtic striker Gary Hooper about him after he scored the winner against Dundee United on 
Saturday.

In the 73rd minute of an absorbing game at Tannadice, the 23-year-old Switzerland international – signed from West Ham for £4.5 million – came off the bench to make his first Premiership appearance for the Scottish 
champions.

With only seven minutes remaining, Ajeti grabbed his first goal in green and white for what Parkhead boss Lennon described as a well-deserved 1-0 victory over the newly-promoted home side.

He then offered up comparisons with Hooper, inset, who successfully led the line for Celtic between 2010 and 2013.

Lennon told Celtic TV: “We’ve got goalscorers in (Leigh) Griffiths, (Patryk) Klimala is a different type and Odsonne (Edouard) is a different type.

“He’s a bit more like a Hooper-type, that squat sort of build, he’s a good 
finisher.

“He had a great time of it at Basel, not so much at West Ham, but that happens and it’s a new lease of life for him and he’ll get a real buzz out of what he did on Saturday.”

Lennon praised his side for their relentless pursuit of the breakthrough on Tayside which sets them up for Wednesday’s Champions League second qualifier against Hungarian side Ferencvaros at Celtic Park.

The former Parkhead captain said: “The attitude of the players was absolutely tremendous and you never lose faith in this team.

“They know how to keep going, they kept patient and they got what they deserved.”

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