Celtic have confirmed the signing of Camilo Duran from FK Qarabag, with the Colombian striker stating it is a "dream come true." The 24-year-old joins the Hoops in a deal worth £6million and has signed a five-year contract at Celtic Park.
Duran Joins Celtic Training Camp
Duran has already linked up with his new teammates during their training camp in Portugal and could make his non-competitive debut next Tuesday when Celtic face Sporting CP in the Algarve. He becomes Martin O'Neill's first signing of the summer and will wear the number 11 shirt for the Premiership champions.
Career Path to Celtic
The Colombian started his career back home in South America with Lusitania. After a brief loan spell with Estrela da Amadora, he joined fellow Portuguese second-tier club Portimonense in 2024. He spent just one season with the Algarve-based side before being snapped up by Azerbaijani outfit Qarabag in a £300,000 deal 12 months ago.
Impressive Champions League Form
Duran proved to be a bargain buy for Qarabag, registering 15 goals and 10 assists in 45 matches across all competitions. His performances included notable strikes against Benfica, Ajax, Frankfurt, and Newcastle in the revamped group stages of the Champions League.
Speaking to Celtic TV, the former Colombia youth international said: “I'm very happy, it's a dream come true to sign for a big club like Celtic, the biggest in Scotland, and I'm just excited to get going and score lots of goals. When I first heard of the interest there was absolutely no doubt in my mind and I'm just excited to get playing with the boys.”
Champions League Ambitions
Duran added: "It was a dream come true playing in the Champions League. That's what you dream of as a kid, so to score goals was amazing and that's what I want to continue doing here, scoring goals in the Champions League. I give it my all in every game, with a lot of effort and dedication, and hopefully the goals will come."
First Colombian at Celtic
He also expressed pride in being the first Colombian to play for Celtic: "It's an honour to be the first Colombian to play for Celtic. It's been a dream of mine since I was a kid (to play for my country) and I hope that being here at Celtic and working well, then one day that will become true. I've told the manager how happy I am to be here and that I will hopefully repay him with my performances. It's a real honour to wear this jersey and I hope that this year we'll be champions."
