Imminent Celtic signing Marvin Compper explained why his last move outside Germany failed

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Celtic are closing in on the signing of Marvin Compper.

Celtic are on the verge of signing defender Marvin Compper, with BBC Sport reporting he arrived in Scotland yesterday to seal his transfer.

The experienced defender is joining from Red Bull Leipzig, who he joined from Fiorentina.

His spell in Italy was brief, spanning just the 2013/14 season in which he struggled to hold down a first team place.

So why did it fail, and should Celtic be concerned that his only previous spell outside Germany did not work out?

Here is a look at what Compper said about his time in Italy, speaking to Goal in 2016: “I learned a lot, learned a completely new language and a different culture. Humanly, that has helped me a lot.

“The football was different and the mentality there. Two-thirds of the squad were South Americans, it was a completely different and new atmosphere in the squad for me.

“I would do the change again and again, although I did not always play. Abroad you learn a lot about yourself.”

Compper was lured back to Germany to reunite with former coach Ralf Rangnick, and now he is delivering on his promise that he will play abroad again.

Now more experienced, Compper is surely better equipped to deal with leaving Germany than he previously was, and potentially… switching to Scotland will not prove as much of a culture shock as Italy was for him.