NEW Celtic signing Boli Bolingoli-Mbombo’s all-action style of play will make him a huge favourite with the Parkhead club’s supporters and help the treble Treble winners to realise their European ambitions, it was today claimed.

Bolingoli-Mbombo completed his £3m move to from Rapid Vienna last night after passing a medical in Glasgow and is available to play in the Champions League qualifier against Sarajevo next week.

The 24-year-old, who has signed a four year contract with the Scottish champions, may have to replace Kieran Tierney, who has been attracting interest from both Arsenal and Napoli, in Neil Lennon’s side.

The Belgian will have a difficult job taking over from a player who has, due to the high standard of his performances domestically and on the continent and his commitment to the Celtic cause, become a huge hero in the East End.

However, Roman Wallner, the former Rapid Vienna and Austria striker who spent a brief spell in this country with Falkirk and Hamilton, believes that Bolingoli-Mbombo is more than capable to atoning for the loss of Tierney.

Wallner predicted that Celtic fans will take the attack-minded full-back to their hearts and backed him to help the Scottish champions get back into the group stages of Europe’s premier club competition.

“I have seen him play a lot of Bolingoli-Mbombo at Rapid Vienna,” he said. “He is in good physical condition, is a very technical player. He always likes to get forward. He has a lot of power. I think the way he plays, with a lot of enthusiasm, will mean the fans will really like him

“To begin with, he took some time to settle and integrate himself into the Rapid side after he arrived. But he was still a young man when he moved there two years ago. When he did come good he enjoyed a very fine season. He is a winner.

“It was a good step for him to go from Brugge to Rapid Vienna. It means he can now taker the next step in his career. He will be good for Celtic in the Scottish league because he is fast and physically strong and also decent technically.”

Wallner continued: “I played in both Austria and Scotland myself in my own career. I spent time at Falkirk and Hamilton. It is different. The Scottish game is more physical than Austrian football. You have to be in good shape for it.

“I don’t think the issue is on the pitch for Boli, I think the issue is away from it. Will he like the weather? Will he connect with the other players at the club? Will he like to live in Glasgow? But if he likes it there he will play good football.

“My opinion is that Celtic fans are fantastic. If someone plays football they will like him. Boli is the sort of player who excites the crowd so I think he will do well there in Scotland.”

Wallner, the former Austrian Football of the Year who won the Bundesliga in his homeland with Austria Vienna and Red Bull Salzburg, feels that moving from Rapid Vienna to Celtic will be a step up for Bolingoli-Mbombo.

He has, though, been impressed by the mature way that the player has dealt with the scrutiny from the notoriously demanding Rapid ultras in the past two seasons.

“Rapid Vienna don’t have the same number of fans as Celtic, but they are very passionate and have a strong association with the club,” he said.

“If you don’t play well at Rapid then it is not easy for you. You need strong character to play there. Not every player is made for Vienna. I played there for five years and you need to be at a good level to get a place in the team.

“You face a lot of scrutiny from the media and need to be mentally strong. You are also under a lot of pressure from the supporters. It is not easy. Celtic will be more intense than Rapid, but I think Boli knows this and is ready for the challenge.”

Celtic fly to Bosnia and Herzegovina next week to play the first leg of their first Champions League qualifying round against Sarajevo and will have to successfully negotiate another seven games after that to secure a lucrative place in the group stages of the competition.

However, 27-times capped Wallner feels that Bolingoli-Mbombo will be able to help new manager Lennon in his bid to reach that competition in the absence of Tierney, who is recovering from a double hernia operation.

“Boli has extensive experience in Europe,” he said. “He played in the Champions League with Brugge and he also played in the Europa League, including against Rangers last season, with Rapid Vienna.

“He knows the rhythm of European football – that you have to fly away in midweek and play a big team abroad and then come back and play a smaller club at the weekend. That will help him at Celtic.

“I think he will need time to find out about the character of the Scottish people and the character of the country. He needs one or two months to really find his feet.

“I liked coming to Scotland very much. It was a very good experience to see how Scottish football teams train and play. When I came to Scotland I had to train by myself for one or two months and it wasn’t easy. But I was injured. Boli is fully fit so I think that will help him.”