Olivier Reward

Olivier Ntcham deals in extended Paradise stay.

- Tony Connelly

FEW teams operate under the expectation to win every game in the way Celtic do. That level of pressure separates those who are deserving of wearing the green and white jersey and those who are not.

Olivier Ntcham has thrived in the Hoops since arriving last year and the Frenchman says it’s that pressure which led him to commit his future to the club as he aims to continue his exciting trajectory.

Last week, Ntcham penned a new deal with Celtic that will see him remain at Paradise until the summer of 2022. The midfielder is in the midst of his second season at the club, having signed last July from Manchester City, but his performances in that time have convinced Brendan Rodgers to secure Ntcham’s services for the foreseeable future.

It’s easy to forget that the player is still only 22-years-old when watching him operate in his central-midfield role. The composure and technical understanding he illustrates while playing is more akin to that of someone far older, and it’s those attributes which have facilitated his impressive development in the Hoops.

Ntcham has been pleased with the strides forward he has made since arriving at Celtic, which is why he decided to sign a new contract with the Scottish champions.

“I feel very good about signing a new contract,” he told the Celtic View moments after putting pen to paper on the new deal. “I feel very proud and I’m happy to sign another deal with Celtic. I believe we’re going to win more trophies this year and build on what we achieved last year and I want to help with that.

“Last season was a big step forward for me personally because it was the first time I had won a trophy in my career. I’ll never forgot those achievements and I hope I can experience that again this season.”