Fortune signs for Celtic

Scottish giants Celtic have signed Marc-Antoine Fortune from Nancy on a three year contract, confirmed the club website.

The 28-year-old French Guiana-born striker joins for an undisclosed fee, reportedly in the region of £3.8m.

Fortune, who is Tony Mowbray’s first signing since he became Celtic manager, with the pair reunited after the forward spent the second half of last season on loan at West Brom.

The Frenchman told his new club’s website, celticfc.net: “This is where I want to be.”

“Having met the people at the club and knowing all about the club’s fantastic pedigree and support, this is where I saw my future.”

“I am looking forward to the challenge of winning the league title, competing for the cups and playing in Europe, in front of the Celtic supporters.”

“I am also looking forward to working with my manager, Tony Mowbray, once again.”

“I had a great experience with him, Mark Venus and Peter Grant in the Premiership last season and I am looking forward to now working with him at one of Europe’s biggest football clubs.”

And Mowbray was equally delighted to be resuming the pair’s relationship.

He said: “Marc is a quality player and, at West Brom, he was a privilege to work with.”

“Some of his play in the second half of the season was phenomenal and, if you look at our goals ratio as a team after he joined, you can see the impact he made.”

“He is a team player, we were delighted with the way he performed in the Premiership and are looking forward to working with him at Celtic.”

Fortune joined up with the first-team squad today and will be officially unveiled tomorrow ahead of Celtic’s trip to Australia for Sunday’s opening pre-season friendly against Brisbane Roar.

He is set to be joined on the trip by former Nancy team-mate Landry N’Guemo, with the French club announcing the midfielder has sealed a season-long loan to the Glasgow club, with the option of making the transfer permanent.

Celtic have yet to confirm this but N’Guemo, 23, has already expressed his excitement about a switch to Parkhead.

He said in the Evening Times: “I’m ready for a move. I’ve two years left on my contract, but I’m ready for a new challenge and Nancy know that.

“If Celtic want me, I would love to talk to them. They’re one of the biggest clubs in European football and the prospect of going there excites me.”

Fortune arrived in Glasgow for talks on Monday and declared himself “happy to be here” as he posed with fans outside Celtic Park yesterday.

The signing is a significant coup for Mowbray, who made the striker his first priority when he became Celtic boss last month.

Fortune netted five times in West Brom’s unsuccessful battle against Barclays Premier League relegation after being drafted in at the start of the year.

His form alerted a number of English clubs but he has snubbed the likes of Hull, Fulham and Portsmouth to agree a move to Glasgow.

The decision is likely to have come at a financial cost to the player, with Mowbray admitting last week he could not match the wages on offer down south.

Putting the chance to join Celtic and work again with Mowbray above purely financial motives will give Fortune a head start in his attempt to win over the Parkhead faithful.