Alexandro Bernabei tipped to repeat Celtic history as star who 'ticks all the boxes' set to follow club heroes

When Emilio Izaguirre arrived at Celtic from Honduras most people had never seen him play. His new Parkhead team-mate, Mark Wilson, was one of them.

But on his first day at the club Izaguirre made an immediate impression - and that 2010/11 season saw the little left-back crowned Player of the Year in Scotland. If, as expected, Argentine defender Alexandro Bernabei signs for Ange Postecoglou ’s side in the next 24 hours, it will be a similar story. Wilson is praying the 21-year-old can have a major impact, just like Izaguirre.

The former Hoops full-back has only heard positive things about the Lanus star, who is in Glasgow finalising a deal. He’s small but powerful, technically gifted and loves to attack down the flank, which has Wilson excited. He said: “Emilio was fantastic for us. We didn’t know much about him but I remember his first day of training at Lennoxtown, he was doing sprints, box to box and round poles.

“We thought: ‘This boy looks fit as….’ The next question was whether he was good on the ball. And he was. I was actually with somebody on Friday night who has been watching Bernabei for a couple of years.

"He told me he’s a full-back who will bomb on all day long. He’s small, with loads of energy and good on the ball, so it sounds like he ticks every box. I’m a big fan of Greg Taylor. He’s been great but is maybe a wee bit conservative in what Celtic fans want from that position.

"They’ve had Kieran Tierney, who set the bar so high, but Bernabei sounds like he could be similar to him and Izaguirre – and that’s the way Celtic fans want their full-backs to play. There will be real competition at Celtic now in those positions but that’s what being at a big club is all about. Only Ange will know who his