Lorient loanee Moritz Jenz admits he could have joined Celtic in the summer of 2021 and was ‘disappointed’ to see a move to the Scottish Premiership champions fall through at the time, speaking to the Celtic View Podcast.
When former Fulham team-mate Matt O’Riley completed his January switch from MK Dons to Parkhead 10 months ago, Jenz’s expression would have been as green as Celtic’s home shirt.
This Rolls Royce of a centre-half – or ‘Mercedes Jenz’ if you like – was envious in the extreme after learning that O’Riley would be playing European football under Ange Postecoglou, so soon after he saw a move to the Glasgow giants pass him by.
Jenz, however, would not have to wait much longer to reunite with O’Riley in Glasgow.
Moritz Jenz finally got his dream Celtic move
“I was supposed to come (in 2021). But things didn’t go that way,” the Berlin-born defender recalls. “I was disappointed because I really wanted to come. Suddenly, Matt came here as well and I was even more annoyed by it because now he plays for this amazing club!
“I was jealous. Celtic, you know; big stadium, fantastic club.
“We kept speaking. Matt kept telling me how the club is, how the manager is and about his idea and philosophy. You immediately (get) a really good feeling. (I was thinking;) ‘this is a project I want to be in. This is a club I want to be in.’”
Jenz eventually arrived in July, joining on loan with an option-to-buy clause in his contract. A clause that looks certain to be triggered, the one-time Lausanne-Sport youngster slotting in perfectly alongside Cameron Carter-Vickers and catching the eye with his line-breaking passes from the centre of defence.
Celtic face Real Madrid in Champions League
“(Celtic) obviously got in touch again,” Jenz adds. “And I was very happy about it. I had a fantastic talk with the manager.
“You never know in football how things go with the decisions at clubs. But there was always, like, communication between officials of the club and my agent.
“There was always a scenario that it could happen and luckily it happened. They were very patient, and I was very patient as well. The timing was perfect. ”
Jenz is likely to start as Celtic travel to Real Madrid this week; the sixth and final fixture in the Champions League group-stages. Celtic’s hopes of qualification are over, but they can still secure a famous result away from home at the reigning European champions.
Jenz may be joined at Parkhead by another left-sided centre-half in January too. Celtic are reportedly set to sign Yuki Kobayashi from Japanese outfit Vissel Kobe.
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