Marco Tilio completes Celtic transfer as Australian winger pens five-year-deal

Celtic have announced the signing of versatile Melbourne City forward Marco Tilio on a five-year deal, subject to international clearance.

The 21-year-old attacking winger, who will wear the number 23 jersey, becomes the Parkhead side’s second signing of the summer after Norwegian midfielder Odin Thiago Holm last week.

A product of Sydney FC’s youth academy, Tilio moved to his hometown club in 2020 and scored 10 goals in 31 appearances for the A-League champions last season. He has also been capped five times by the Socceroos national team and was part of Graham Arnold’s World Cup squad in Qatar last year.

After completing his move, Tilio told Celtic TV: “I’m ecstatic that I’m coming over to Europe, coming to such a big club and team, and I’m super-excited. I hope to bring all my qualities, take on players in and around the box, help the team contribute to goals with assists and hopefully put a few in the back of the net as well.

“It’s an amazing opportunity for myself and having seen Aussies go over there and do well at such a prestigious club, it’s a massive opportunity for myself that I couldn’t deny. And being around those guys, Aaron Mooy and Tommy Rogic, in the national team camp over recent years, obviously helped make my decision easier.”

Tilio explained he was always determined to clinch a move to a top club in Europe, stating: said: “It’s always been a plan ever since I moved over to Melbourne three years ago. It was my plan to go over and do well, and hopefully proceed to go on to different and bigger and better things, and now I think is the time for me to come over to Europe and really challenge myself. And I’m really excited with the opportunity I have to come to this club and hopefully I put my best foot forward and play some good football.’

“I think it’s a massive opportunity to be a part of a team that plays in the Champions League, and have a winning mentality in bringing trophies. I think that’s important. As a player that’s what you want to be a part of and what you want to do is win trophies, win games. For me it’s always been about that here in Australia and I want to come over there and do the same thing.”

Tilio admitted he has already spoken at length with new Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers about where he will fit into the team for the upcoming season as he prepares to travel across the globe and settle into his new surroundings in Glasgow’s East End.

He added: “I did have a chat with him a few days ago and I was really excited to have the opportunity to speak to him, and the plan the club has for me and for the team is a great opportunity as I said I couldn’t deny, and I’m really looking forward to getting over there to Scotland.

“I’m just finalising a few things and I’m trying to pack up everything here in Australia, and as soon as I can, I’ll head over to Scotland, meet all the team, the whole club. I’m really excited about that and hopefully I can get over there as soon as possible and get right into the thick of things.’

“I think it’s amazing, obviously the pre-season is so long, it drags on, and in Europe it’s a lot shorter than what it is here, so I’m looking forward to getting right into it and playing games, and I think that’s exciting as well that you get over and start to gel with the team as much as possible before the competitions and season starts.”