Aberdeen defender Mark Reynolds has hailed on loan team-mate Ryan Christie as “the most complete player I have seen”.
Reynolds, 30, made the huge comment about Christie, 22, even though he can’t get near the Celtic first team and has been loaned out for a second consecutive campaign.
Wide midfielder Christie spent the second half of last season on loan at the Dons from Celtic and has returned for a season-long deal this term.
“I have played with good players, been involved in international squads, but I can’t emphasise enough how much I rate Ryan,” Reynolds told the official Aberdeen website.
“He is the most complete player I have seen.”
Christie notched seven goals for the Dons last season and is already off the mark in the current campaign, with the Dons sitting second top of the Premiership, behind Celtic only on goal difference.
Reynolds, 30, explained how having players of Christie’s quality at the club benefits Aberdeen in more ways than one.
“As the squad has improved, it means that we are playing against top players every day in training,” Reynolds said.
“The strikers I am playing against are often better than what we are going to face at the weekend. If you are training against Ryan Christie, that keeps you focused.
“He is so good on the ball, anywhere on the park. He finds space. His feet are a joke, his technique, his passing, he can run all day, he has got a bit of fight in him and a nasty streak. He has goals in him as well. I have made no secret of how highly I rate him. When we are playing well he can take us to that next level.”
OPINION
Reynolds’ verdict on Christie is extraordinary given that he is nowhere near the Celtic team and has accumulated just 13 appearances for his parent club. They’re coming from someone who is no mug, either. Centre-back Reynolds has 339 Scottish Premiership appearances to his name, most of which have been at title challengers Aberdeen. Celtic fans will be excited by the comments about the rapidly improving Christie, but also eager to see him in action at Parkhead. They will be thinking, ‘if he is that good, why is he not in our team?’