Adam Virgo believes Celtic’s latest new recruit Kundai Benyu is a similar player to former Hoops midfielder Shunsuke Nakamura.
The Scottish treble-winners announced on their official club Twitter account and website on Thursday that they had completed the signing of the 19-year-old midfielder from Ipswich Town.
? #BenyuisaCelt!@kundaibenyu_ has agreed a four-year contract with #CelticFC. He will join the Club from July 1st. pic.twitter.com/nl489V8iMC
— Celtic Football Club (@CelticFC) June 29, 2017
Benyu has put pen-to-paper on a four-year-deal at Parkhead, and will officially complete his move when the summer transfer window opens on July 1.
The youngster is already rated very highly in a number of circles, and former Celtic defender Virgo has echoed the praise by comparing him to Hoops icon Nakamura.
He told the Scottish Sun: “I don’t want to put too much pressure on him but he reminds me of Shunsuke Nakamura.
“He’s got that elegance on the ball in terms of what Celtic fans would really understand. He’s just a player with a great touch and a good turn and he’s got everything all around him in the game.
“He can pick out a pass and he’s got a good eye for goal and he’s a great dribbler when he gets in the final third.”
Nakamura made 144 appearances in all competitions for Celtic between 2005 and 2009, scoring 28 goals and supplying 36 assists, establishing himself as one of the finest midfield players in Europe.
The 39-year-old, who has been capped 98 times by the Japan national team, was nominated for the 2007 Ballon d’Or award, and won six domestic titles with Celtic.
He is currently playing for Jubilo Iwata in his homeland.
Benyu, meanwhile, has flown out to Austria to join up with his new Celtic team-mates at their pre-season training camp.
The box-to-box midfielder had caught the eye of manager Brendan Rodgers during a loan spell at Aldershot Town last season, where he scored five goals and supplied three assists from 23 appearances in all competitions.
He becomes the club’s second signing of the summer after Aberdeen winger Jonny Hayes moved to the club earlier this month.