The on-loan Bournemouth right-back has hit the ground running and has Wilfried Nancy to thank for bringing him to the club
Julian Araujo(Image: SNS Group)
Julian Araujo has refused to rule out a permanent move to Celtic.
The on-loan Bournemouth defender has sparkled since arriving at the start of January. Araujo, 24, admits he’s loving life in Glasgow and hinted that he could extend his stay beyond the summer.
He said: “Football’s crazy, anything can happen. I’ve been happy here, I’m enjoying my football and I let my agent handle the rest.
“But of course I’ve been happy here. Obviously it’s a good city, good club, good people most importantly.
“I think at the end of the day I just want to play football and the rest my agent can handle.”
The former Barcelona and LA Galaxy ace has slotted in seamlessly at right-back and in the dressing room.
He said: “Despite coming to a whole different country I think it’s a whole different culture. I think I’ve adjusted very well.
“I think it’s all credit to the staff, to everybody involved at Celtic, to all the people.
“I think my teammates as well have welcomed me, have accepted me with open arms. I think that’s what’s been the most important thing.
“It was a very quick, hectic adjustment. But I think all credit to them, it’s been very good.
“They accepted me very well. They told me where to go. They told me where not to go. They told me where I could.
“They gave me all the ins and outs about going through the city. I’ve been around Glasgow and I think all the people have been very friendly.
“I think that’s probably one of the things that I’ve most noticed, is how friendly the people are and how accepting they are.
“Everywhere I go, there’s a Celtic fan. So I’ve been recognised everywhere. But I think my teammates have been very, very helpful in this adjustment.”
Celtic fans would rather erase Wilfried Nancy’s disastrous 33-day tenure from their minds but Araujo has the flop boss to thank for bringing him to the club.
He said: “I wish Wilfred Nancy all the best. I think he’s a very good man. I appreciate him for the opportunity.
“It’s the crazy part about football. You know, one day you’re here, one day you’re not. But I think, yeah, it just comes with the game.
“Players were here in January, players left in January. So, yeah, I think it’s just all part of the game.”
With Celtic locked in a three-way title battle with Hearts and Rangers, Araujo is determined to end the campaign with a league winners’ medal round his neck.
The Mexico international added: “It’s the beauty of football. Anything can happen. We’re sitting third on the table, I think, now. But there’s still so much football to play.
“I think it’s good that we brought in new players because we need fresh legs. We need people to give us more, that extra push, when we’re feeling tired or when we’re in that final stretch. Everybody’s going to be involved and everybody’s important.
“I think this is the beauty of football because at the end of the title race, we’ll see who’s at the top. You never know.”