It’s still early days for Nicolas Kuhn at Celtic and you get the sense he’s still scratching the surface of what he could end up contributing to the club.
The former Rapid Vienna star joined the Bhoys in the winter transfer window for £3m and has had some mixed form in the team since then.
His best match to date came against St Johnstone in a 3-1 March victory. He scored and assisted Kyogo Furuhashi that day – part of five direct goal contributions in total since arriving in Glasgow.
There have been other, less impressive, outings too and we’re still waiting for him to find true consistency in the Celtic team.
The player has now shared that he is feeling happier than ever at the Bhoys and is getting physically stronger with each passing week.
Nicolas Kuhn on his Celtic status
He said in a media conference on Friday [Celtic FC]: “I knew before that Celtic want to win everything, and every game there is. I knew what was coming. The beginning was a little bit difficult for me, but now I am settled and I feel good.
“Physically I am getting stronger, now I can go 90 minutes. Before, I struggled after 70 minutes, but now I feel much better.
“I definitely feel better and that makes a big difference for me. I know I can go 90 minutes, I don’t have to hold some power back, so I’m happy.
“I just want to play. I didn’t really change anything. There was a lot of pressure in the beginning because I didn’t perform in the way I wanted to. I just kept going and that’s what I’ve always done. I didn’t worry about the performances coming because I know what I can do.”
Kuhn’s place in Celtic starting eleven looks secure
The German will get his chance to have a big say on the direction of trophies this season as his place in Brendan Rodgers’ preferred team looks secure.
He’s shown more than Hyunjun Yang and Luis Palma of late, meaning that even if Daizen Maeda makes his miraculous return from injury he’ll have a spot in the side.
James Forrest is also available but he’s been utilised in more of a super sub role when everyone is fit and available.
If Kuhn can shine in these closing weeks of the season it will set up him very nicely for a successful spell at Celtic.