Former Head of Recruitment at Celtic Lee Congerton has admitted that he tried to sign Ademola Lookman for the Hoops.

Congerton joined the Scottish champions in March under 2017 but moved south alongside Brendan Rodgers two years later to Leicester City.

His time at Parkhead is viewed to be unsuccessful but the Welshman is now enjoying a new challenge in Italy at Serie A side Atalanta.

One of his recent recruits Ademola Lookman has been hailed as a top transfer as he managed to get the 25-year-old to join the club from Bundesliga outfit RB Leipzig.

He added to his goal tally at the weekend after he netted a brace against Juventus to take him to 14 goals this season as his side sit third in the table.

Congerton knew the former Charlton Athletic youngster from his time at Leicester but has revealed that during his time in Glasgow he tried to bring Lookman north to the Hoops.

“I was pleased to hear the manager say that about me, but I don’t like taking all the credit, because it’s down to everyone at the club. I tried to get him to Celtic when I was there,” said Congerton as quoted by [football scotland].

“Sure, I have known him well, since he was a kid, but he’s also the one who chose us and he made the right choice. He’s a great lad and deserves all the praise and credit he’s getting. I hope he continues like this, with goals and assists, with high-level performances for the good of Atalanta.”

At the time, the Nigeria international would have been in his early twenties and experienced a loan out to RB Leipzig while still at Everton.

It is unknown whether Celtic would have tried to have made the deal permanent but during those years he was loaned to a number of different clubs so who is to say whether it would have worked out in Glasgow.

It’s likely thought that Lookman was not the only player who Rodgers tried to sign during his time at Celtic and there may still be some other revelations in the years to come.