Adamu, Arthur & Mvuka join Celtic on loan

Celtic have signed Austria striker Junior Adamu from Bundesliga club Freiburg, Brentford centre-half Benjamin Arthur and Lorient winger Joel Mvuka, all on loan to the end of the season.

The Scottish champions, who have sent fellow striker Johnny Kenny on loan to Bolton Wanderers and allowed centre-half Stephen Welsh to return to Motherwell, have an option to buy Adamu and Mvuka in the summer.

Born in Nigeria, 24-year-old Adamu came through the RB Salzburg academy and scored 23 goals in 84 appearances for the Austrian side.

Adamu, who has nine caps for Austria, moved to Freiburg in 2023 and has found the back of the net seven times in 67 matches.

He has made 18 appearances this season, 14 of them starts, scoring once.

But Celtic manager Martin O’Neill was attracted to his “experience of high-level football”.

“He has also been involved in European competition, so we are bringing in a talented, experienced, international forward to really enhance our attacking options,” he told Celtic’s website.

Adamu is eyeing a league and Scottish Cup double while scoring “a lot of goals” and wants “to improve as a player”.

Asked what kind of player Celtic fans will see in action, he added: “I’m dangerous in the box and hungry for goals. That’s what the manager sees in me and I want to show that on the pitch.”

The announcement of 22-year-old Mvuka’s signing came eight minutes after the closure of the January transfer window.

However, the Norwegian is no stranger to the Scottish champions, having played against them in the Conference League in 2022 for Bodo/Glimt, where he was a team-mate of Celtic winger Sebastian Tounekti.

He joined Lorient in 2023 but has made only five starts and 10 substitute appearances for the side sitting ninth in Ligue 1.

“Joel is a talented player who has a very good level of experience achieved at some really good clubs,” O’Neill said.

“He will give the squad another option, he is very quick, able to play on both wings”

The 20-year-old Arthur has made just three appearances for Premier League outfit Brentford, including two starts in his season’s League Cup.

However, O’Neill thinks the England youth international is “an excellent player, with real attributes, good height, strength and speed”.

His arrival allows Stephen Welsh to return to Motherwell on loan after being recalled as cover during January.

Meanwhile, Kenny heads for the side sitting third in League One having failed to become a first pick since O’Neill’s return to Celtic.