Dunfermline boss Stevie Crawford has hailed the signing of Jonathan Afolabi after the striker swapped Celtic for East End Park.
The Irish youth international has joined the Pars on a deal until the end of the season. He only arrived at Celtic in the summer following a switch from Southampton.
He’ll wear the number ten shirt and could be handed a debut when Crawford takes Dunfermline to Queen of the South. They’ll be joined by Owain Fon Williams and Dylan Duncan, who have arrived on loan from Hamilton and QPR respectively.
Crawford says he’s a really exciting transfer and that signings like Afolabi’s make the last week of winter transfer madness all worthwhile.
“It’s something we have been working on behind the scenes for a number of weeks,” said Crawford. “We’re delighted to have it over the line. We’re probably a bit light in that area and it brings competition.
“He’s a big lad who’s got good feet. He’s quick and powerful. The one thing he hasn’t got is first-team football, but he excites us. He plays on the shoulder. You do your homework.
“There’s parts of his game which I think are different from what we’ve got at the moment. We identified him early in the window and there’s bits he knows he has to improve on, which excites me.
“A player who recognises they aren’t the finished article give you a chance. He’s coming to Dunfermline to educate himself and help the club moving forward.
“In terms of speaking to agents and players, it’s difficult. You think you’re getting somewhere and a lot of time and effort goes into it. Equally, you’ve got to have trust in your coaching staff as what you are working towards on the football side is the important thing.
“It’s a challenging week but I love it, I wouldn’t have it any other way. I’m lucky I have people around me that want the best for this club. Sometimes it’s a tiring job but when you manage to bring in someone like Jonathan, that’s always got to be your focus and everything is worthwhile.”