Callum McGregor has welcomed the challenge of Tomoki Iwata for his position after the Japanese player joined Celtic.
The Celtic captain is a dead-cert starter for the majority of matches under Ange Postecoglou - but Iwata has played in a similar role previously.
It's unlikely Iwata would force McGregor out of the team, but it could see a shift in position or at least competition for the deep-lying midfield role.
For McGregor is a challenge he will welcome as he insisted the new face at Celtic Park will help drive the standard.
Speaking ahead of the Viaplay Cup semi-final against Kilmarnock, McGregor said: “It’s fine. That’s football and he’s coming in to help the group. We want as many good players as we can to push the standard.
“Ultimately, it will make us a more successful football club and that’s what we want. In modern day football, teams carry big squads and you’re going to need them with the amount of games.
“It’s all good. He’s come in, he speaks good English and we are happy to have him on board.”
Transfer speculation continues to surround a number of Celtic players this window with Giorgos Giakoumakis and Josip Juranovic tipped for possible departures.
For McGregor, he insists he will help team-mates who may be pondering their future "in any capacity of the game" as part of his role as captain.
But the midfielder insisted it's ultimately up to the individual to decide on any transfer decision - but reiterated he'd be on hand to support his team-mates.
He added: “My job is obviously to listen to the players. If they come to me with a problem then I will try and fix it.
“That’s in any capacity of the game; football, at the club or in their personal lives. I’m there to help them and I let them know that.
“I won’t go and actively seek conversations because the players have their own career and they work for the club.
“Ultimately they will make their own decision but I’m there to help if they need it.”
Callum McGregor was promoting Viaplay’s exclusively live coverage of the Viaplay Cup match Celtic v Kilmarnock on Saturday at 17.30. Viaplay is available to stream from viaplay.com or via your TV provider on Sky, Virgin TV and Amazon Prime as an add-on subscription.
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