Shaun Maloney has praised Yang Hyun-jun's "unbelievable work-rate" and tipped him for a standout season.
The 24-year-old winger played a key role in Celtic's 5-1 win against Kilmarnock on Sunday. Despite the anticipated competition, with Haissem Hassan set to arrive and Jota nearing a return from injury, Maloney is confident Yang will remain a central figure for manager Martin O’Neill.
The assistant manager said: "Yang took that right-wing position by the scruff of the neck last year and went to another level. He’s always been that sort of quite a good player or impact player at the club.
"But last year he went, ‘I want to be an important player’."
Yang's impressive stats from last season include 10 goals and three assists, with memorable strikes against Rangers, Hearts, and Feyenoord.
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Maloney believes the South Korean's dedication off the ball has earned him the trust of the manager and his teammates. Maloney said: "Not every winger will have an amazing game attacking-wise all the time.
"But if you give that other side of the game to your teammates, you will find yourself in the team for big occasions.
"He earned the manager’s trust. He’s got an unbelievable work-rate and is also brilliant without the ball."
The former Celtic winger revealed that Yang impressed from the first sessions after the current management team arrived last autumn. Maloney added: "He started to come on as a sub for Martin and had a really good impact. And then he was off and running.
"I really like him as a player when he’s at his best. He’s taken it on, and it’s got nothing to do with us. It’s all him."
Maloney compared the standards Yang is trying to reach to those set by Daizen Maeda, who became a standout performer through his relentless pressing and defensive contribution.
