Marco Tilio will be Celtic smash hit thanks to 2 key attributes as teammate turned rival offers fans the inside track

Adam Le Fondre reckons Celtic have signed one of Australia’s fastest rising stars after witnessing Marco Tilio’s development first hand.

The Hibs striker got a close-up view of the forward last month when his Sydney side drew with the new Bhoy’s Melbourne City. Le Fondre and Tilio were teammates at Sydney after the youngster came through the ranks with the Sky Blues. But the veteran striker was blown away by the major improvement in the 21-year-old in that A-League draw.

And he’s backed him to shine when he gets the chance with the Scottish champions under Brendan Rodgers. Le Fondre said: “He’s a really good player; exciting, a bit raw, but a great ball carrier, good with both feet. He’ll do well. He’ll need to adjust to the league, the physicality and the understanding of a manager and tactical nuances. The A-League is a bit more open and transitional, especially in the second half of games, so he may not get the space he’ll like and maybe a few more tackles.

“But I can see him doing really well here. There’s been a huge development in him since we played together at Sydney. We drew 1-1 with City just before I left and I said ‘Bloody hell mate, you’ve improved since the last time I saw you!’”

Le Fondre, who signed a one-year deal to return home to the UK with Hibs last month, admits he is delighted to see Tilio develop from an erratic teen to a top level performer who already has seven Oz caps. His performances last season were enough to convince Celtic to shell out £1.5m and seal a five-year deal.

And Le Fondre said: “He really grasped his chance at Melbourne and worked really hard. He’s turned into a fantastic young player.”