Celtic midfielder Eboue Kouassi has stated his desire to get more first-team football at the club over the coming season, after making a cameo substitute appearance against Alashkert on Tuesday night.
Opportunities have been limited in Brendan Rodgers’ starting eleven since the 20-year-old joined from Russian side Krasnodar in January 2017. To date he has made 18 appearances for the Hoops, just half of which have come from the start.
With players like Olivier Ntcham and Scott Brown ahead of him, competition for places is fierce and there is no room and no time for players who aren’t quite at the standard that duo have set over the last 12 months.
Still, he’s intent on making an impact and has spoken this week about his hopes of making a first-team impact over the coming months.
As quoted by The Daily Record, the prospect said after the trip to Armenia:
I hope this is the start for me. I want to have more responsibility in the team. We shall have to wait and see. Playing in such a big game does give me confidence.
Every time I play I am very happy and want to prove myself. I have to wait for my chance to get into the team.
As a team, we have good mentality now and a good spirit, so this is why we will be better than last season. I want to play more, all I can do is work hard and do my best when the manager gives me my chance.
Rodgers will have to determine whether Kouassi has made enough progress to be considered for more opportunities in upcoming qualifiers and league action, with the player clearly not wanting to sit on the bench for most of the season again.
If the midfielder can’t establish himself with more minutes this summer, then there’s always the possibility that he moves out on loan. Especially if Celtic continue their pursuit of Hibs man John McGinn.
A year away from the Hoops could do him the world of good and convince everyone that he has what it takes to play consistently for the Scottish champions.
Do you think Kouassi deserves more minutes in the first-team? Let us know in the comments below…