‘I am going to get the fans off their seats’ - Sead Haksabanovic outlines Celtic ambitions and hard lesson learned at West Ham

New Celtic signing Sead Haksabanovic admits he is excited about Ange Postecoglou’s attacking vision for him after completing his move to Glasgow.

The Swedish-born Montenegro international, who joined from Russian club Rubin Kazan on a five-year deal last week, arrived in Scotland ahead of the Hoops’s record-breaking 9-0 away victory over Dundee United on Sunday.

The versatile 23-year-old will add further competition to Celtic’s impressive array of attacking talent and insists he didn’t need to think twice about a move to the Scottish champions.

Haksabanovic was unveiled to the media for the first time on Monday and outlined the reasons behind his decision to join Celtic.

He said: “I spoke to the gaffer and the plan that he has looks very good for me. We spoke fluently and it felt good.

“He likes the way I play and he thinks I fit in the system he wants to play. We spoke about how he sees me and how I want to play and it went well.

“Celtic is a dream club. To be here is a dream come true. It’s one of the biggest clubs in the world with the fans and the history. I didn’t have to think about coming here, I just wanted to come.

“Before Celtic came into the picture I had some clubs (interested) but they mostly wanted to take me on loan. When I heard Celtic wanted me, I told my agent this is where I wanted to be. There was no thinking about it.

“It was about a month or a month and a half ago that I heard. I was waiting at home, I was training by myself and doing what I could do. I just wanted to come here and start.

“I was running around thinking about playing here so that kept me going. Now I am here so I am just looking forward and I see this as a big opportunity. It’s a unique and special feeling to be here.”

If Haksabanovic knew he already faced a battle to break into Postecoglou’s starting XI, he will have quickly realised the scale of his task is even greater after watching his new team mates run riot at Tannadice.

The winger revealed the “beautiful football” on display at the weekend has made him even more exciting about the challenge ahead and he could be in line to make his debut against Ross County in the Premier Sports Cup on Wednesday night.

He added: “It’s a big challenge but when I saw the play I was only thinking I want to be there, I want to score goals, I want to make assists, I want to dribble.

“Because the way they were playing on Sunday was beautiful football and I want to play that. It’s a big challenge but I am here for it and I will work hard for it as well.

I am just going to be hard-working. I am going to do everything for me and the team, and I think I am going to get the fans off their seats sometimes with some good dribbling, some good actions and hopefully some points as well.

“I am ready. I need to earn my spot in the team. Now it’s just up to the manager when he wants me to play. I’m here to fight for my place.

“I think it’s good that we’ve got so many great players because it pushes you harder in training and makes you a better player.”

Postecoglou confirmed he was eager to bring versatile players into the club after filling specific positions during pre-season and Haksabanovic believes he can offer his new boss various options.

He stated: “My favourite position is on the left wing. That’s where I have played most of my life.

“In Russia I played as a number eight, in central midfield, and I have played as a number 10 as well and I like that also. I have played on the right as well so I can play wherever.”

Haksabanovic returns to the UK for a second time following an 18-month spell at Premier League side West Ham United earlier in his career.

The attacker failed to make his first-team breakthrough at the London club, playing just two cup ties, but he reckons the experience has toughened him up both mentally and physically.

He said: “When I went to West Ham it was Slaven Bilic that brought me and then he got fired, so I had to learn the hard way about football.

“I learnt a lot of things. I saw how it was to be with the big guys. I was still young - I was only 18. That made me the person I am today and it only made me stronger.”