Alistair Johnston has revealed Victor Wanyama willed him to make the switch to Celtic.
The Canadian international agreed a five-year deal at Celtic to make the move from MLS side CF Montreal in January.
And Johnston has admitted he was desperate to seal a transfer move to Celtic after team-mate Wanyama talked up the club and fan base in Glasgow.
“Agent Victor was on it from the get-go," said Johnston of Wanyama's involvement in his Celtic switch.
“I just remember a couple of months back, he actually brought up to me that he thought Celtic was the perfect fit for me. It’s funny because I thought, yes, I completely agree.
“A little bit later I got word that there was some interest there, and I talked to Victor a lot about it. He’s played at some massive clubs like Spurs, Southampton and Celtic, and he said that everyone else paled in comparison to Celtic.
“He talked about the fanbase and said that everywhere you go, it’s ‘Hail, Hail!’, it’s constant and still to this day, when he runs into people, they remember him from his Celtic days and he finds that pretty crazy.
“He spoke so highly of the fanbase, and they said it’s one of the most passionate fanbases in the world, if not the most passionate.
“He said, ‘look, mate. It’s the perfect club for you. You’ll love it over there. They fit your style and how you want to play the game, and your passion for the game as well.’
“So hearing that glowing review from him really drove it home. We get along very well and he’s been an ultimate pro, and a very big cheerleader for Celtic all around the globe, so when he gave that glowing recommendation, I just knew this was the place I wanted to be, so I’m just really glad that it’s come to fruition.”
While Wanyama had urged Johnston to head to Celtic if he was given the opportunity - Johnston was truly sold on the move after talking with Ange Postecoglou.
The defender - who played for Canada in all three of their World Cup group stage matches in Qatar - explained that he felt wanted and that he'd be a perfect fit into the style of football at Parkhead.
And Johnston added that he'd only received "glowing reviews" about the club before finalising his switch and joining his team-mates next week.
He added: “Ange really was the one who sold me on it. I think for every single footballer, you want it to be the perfect fit, and you want to go somewhere that, not only do you feel that you’re a part of something and you feel that you’re wanted, but at the same time, it’s a good sporting fit as well.
“And based on what he said he’s looking to do with this squad and this club in the next couple of years, it felt like a perfect fit.
“He’s looking for young, driven players who want to take that next step and compete at the highest level, compete in the top stages of Europe and, for me, that was something which just called out to me and it felt right.
“From everything I’ve heard, he’s a top manager and his whole coaching staff have just got glowing reviews from everyone I’ve talked to, so that was another thing which was a big selling point for me on Celtic, and just absolutely made it a home run for me to make the move to Celtic Park.”
