Celtic sent official message after €13m transfer

Denmark star Albert Gronbaek believes that his compatriot Kasper Hogh will soon end his goalscoring drought at Celtic following a hugely underwhelming start to his career in Glasgow.

The 25-year-old joined Celtic for a club-record transfer fee of €12.9 million in late July, and he arrived with a burgeoning reputation after scoring 54 goals in 103 games for Bodo/Glimt, including strikes against Manchester City (x2), Atletico Madrid, Inter Milan and Sporting CP in last season’s Champions League.

However, Hogh has endured a torrid run of form in front of goal at Celtic Park and he is now without a goal in his last 19 games for club and country, dating back to a hat-trick he scored against Kilmarnock in just his second game for Martin O’Neill’s side.

Those are the only goals he has scored since his move to Celtic, yet he remains the club’s preferred centre forward, with Chelsea loanee Shumaira Mheuka unable to usurp Hogh in O’Neill’s favoured starting XI.

Celtic fans have already turned on Hogh amid his goalscoring woes, but Gronbaek believes he will soon find his feet in Glasgow.

“Kasper Hogh and I text daily. We check in with each other. And I know that as soon as he starts scoring again, the goals will come,” Gronbaek told The Daily Record.

“He is incredibly tough and extremely talented. The way he can turn the negative into the positive is very unique. I also use him as inspiration a lot myself if I need to be lifted.

“At Bodo, it's so safe up there - that's just the way it is because it is one big family. The friendships and relationships you get up there, it's very special compared to when you go out to other clubs.”

Gronbaek’s assessment of Hogh has been backed up by Celtic defender Liam Scales, who also believes the 25-year-old’s luck in front of goal will soon change.

“He's been brilliant,” Scales told BBC Sport after Celtic’s win over Kilmarnock on Saturday. "He keeps doing the right things and eventually it will fall for him.

“He was so unlucky with his goal being ruled out. And he told me he was right behind me with the goal I scored. If I'd known that I might have left it.

“It will fall for him. He's a goalscorer and a good player. His all-round game was brilliant, he held the ball up really well.

“He's just been unlucky. But his attitude has been brilliant. If he keeps doing the right things it will work out for him. He has an amazing attitude and that's why I really believe he will be successful.”