Denayer not out to be Kompany mark two

Photo by Jeff Holmes

Celtic have signed Belgian defender Jason Denayer on a season-long loan from Manchester City.

The 19-year-old signed for City following two years in the Anderlecht youth team.

His arrival came just over 12 hours after Aston Villa's Bulgarian international winger Aleksandar Tonev also moved to Celtic Park on a season's loan.

Centre-back Denayer was with the City first-team squad on their tours of Scotland and the United States.

But his path from the club's elite development squad was further blocked this week when the English champions signed France central defender Eliaquim Mangala in a £32million transfer from Porto.

Denayar insists he will be his own man and not Vincent Kompany mark two.

Speaking at the club's Lennoxtown training complex he confirmed he would be in the squad for the Scottish Premiership game against St Johnstone at McDiarmid Park tomorrow night and claimed he would be ready, if required, for the Champions League play-off first-leg match against Maribor next week.

I am sure I can play,'' he said.I thought about it before I came and if I wasn't ready to come to play then I wouldn't have come.''

However, he was not keen to have too many comparisons made with City and Belgium skipper Kompany.

He said: I have learned a lot from him because he is a good guy off the pitch. He talks a lot with me so he helps me a lot.

He is Belgium like me, a defender like me, Congolese (background) like me, but I don't want to be the same as Kompany.

Maybe the same career but not the same player because I want to have my own style.

I am fast, strong and I try to play football, not just kick the ball.''

Denayar, who played against Dundee in a pre-season friendly game for City, wants to return to make his mark at the English club and is confident he will get his chance to do that with the Scottish champions.

I can't say what will happen in the future but I want to show that I can play in the first team for City,'' he said.

I asked to go on loan and Celtic were the club who gave me the most assurances to play.

When I spoke with the manager he told me he was going to give me my chance, so when I get my chance it is up to me.

I need to play well and show him I can play.''