Youssouf Mulumbu has reflected on his short spell at Celtic in 2018.

The West Brom and DR Congo legend was a surprise last-minute addition by Brendan Rodgers in a transfer window which had seen the Hoops fail in their pursuit of John McGinn.

He came to Glasgow after excelling in a brief spell at Kilmarnock, where he linked up with his ex-Baggies boss Steve Clarke. Speaking now, he has revealed that he came close to joining Rangers instead.

Youssouf Mulumbu on Celtic: ‘I could’ve done more’

Speaking to Paris Match, Mulumbu said: “Football is crazy. I’ll tell you the story of how I signed for Celtic – I was actually in advanced negotiations with Rangers.

“We were finalising the contract when negotiations suddenly stalled out of nowhere. I returned to France, and out of the blue, Brendan Rodgers called me personally. He spoke to me at length about the club and how he planned to integrate me.

“Looking back, I should have shown more patience. Instead of asking to go out on loan the moment I wasn’t starting, I should have stayed, fought for my place in training, and waited for my opportunity. With hindsight, had I stayed put, I would have played far more games for Celtic.

“Moving to Celtic was a dream because I had always wanted to play for an elite club competing for silverware. The dynamic was very different from Kilmarnock, though. Celtic already had established midfield leaders, Scott Brown, Callum McGregor, and Nir Bitton.

“Forcing my way into that starting lineup was difficult. We had dropped into the Europa League after missing out on Champions League qualification, but Brendan Rodgers already had a settled tactical structure and preferred starting eleven.

“It was tough to break through, but playing at Celtic Park in front of those passionate fans was a special experience. In hindsight, I feel I could and should have done more to secure regular minutes.”