AJAX have announced the signing of Celtic midfielder Evander Sno on a three-year contract.
The 21-year-old returns to his native Netherlands after two seasons at Parkhead, in which he was unable to establish himself as a regular in the first-team.
Sno – a product of the Ajax youth system – joined Celtic from Feyenoord in the summer of
2006, having starred on loan at NAC Breda.
But the Netherlands Under-21s international, who played for his country during the Olympic football tournament, was unable to live up to his vast promise with the Clydesdale Bank Premier League champions.
Most of his 49 Celtic appearances came from the bench, and he managed only one goal for the club.
Meanwhile, Celtic midfielder Paul Hartley has no fears about Shaun Maloney returning to Parkhead for the second time.
Maloney, 25, who left the champions for Aston Villa in January 2007, is set to re-join the club ahead of tomorrow's clash with Falkirk.
Hartley – promoting Setanta's television coverage of Scotland's away World Cup qualifying games which start against Macedonia and Iceland next month – believes Maloney will make a mockery of the old football adage that players should never go back to a former club.
He said: "It doesn't always happen that way with players and I'm sure if Shaun signs, he will relish the chance to return. It's a good move for him and a good move for the club.
He had a good spell at Celtic the first time, so I'm sure he will do well again."
Hartley, who missed Scotland's midweek draw against Northern Ireland with an ankle knock, is confident Maloney's return to Parkhead will also rejuvenate his international career, benefiting both club and country.
He said: "I played with Shaun at international level and I know what he can bring to the team."
The full article contains 315 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
