Dave Mackay reckons three years ago Luke McCowan would have summed up his chances of playing for Celtic as a pipe dream. Now all of a sudden it has become the 26-year-old's reality.

Mackay was McCowan's former assistant manager under James McPake at Dundee and he knows a quality player when he sees one. That's why Mackay couldn't be happier for Celtic's £1 million deadline day signing and that he can't wait to see McCowan perform on the biggest stages in club football with his boyhood idols.

Mackay knows that the Champions League and Glasgow derbies are a world away from the likes of Somerset Park and Dens Park where McCowan learned his trade. He said: "It is great to see Luke sign for Celtic. This a brilliant move for Celtic and the player. He has finally got his dream move and I think he will do well for Celtic.

"Three years ago Luke was playing for Ayr United in the Championship. Anytime I saw him with Ayr United he was a standout hence the reason why Dundee signed him. Back then if I'm honest I wasn't thinking that he would sign for Celtic. The trajectory of his career in the last 18 months has been utterly amazing. It is an incredible turnaround in Luke's career. Everything that comes with it as well in terms of finance and playing for the team you supported as a boy, playing against Rangers, playing in the Champions League.

"He'll be pinching himself and I know Luke would have had belief in his ability but I'm sure two or three years ago he would have thought this was a pipe dream. He probably thought it would never happen. It's his reality now "I always thought that he had the potential to go on and improve and you just don't know where players are going to end up but nobody could have predicted the way his career has gone in the last 18 months.

"The way he works in training he is a credit to himself and you could never fault his work rate and effort as he always wanted to do extra so it is guys like Luke that you want to do well and I am delighted for him."

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Ironically McCowan could have been representing Dunfermline had McPake and Mackay got their way back in January 2023. McCowan was almost deemed surplus to requirements under Gary Bowyer in the season the Dark Blues gained promotion back to the top flight. However, it was current Dundee boss Tony Docherty who came up with the idea of switching McCowan from a left and right-sided midfielder to a central playmaker and the rest as they say is history.

Mackay has high hopes that McCowan can emulate the likes of Paul Hartley and Barry Robson who joined Celtic late on in their respective careers and went on to enjoy huge success with the club. Mackay said: "When Gary Bowyer took over Dundee in the season they won the league he wasn't starting and they were looking to get him out of Dundee. We were close in January 2023 to getting him to join Dunfermline in League One.

"It just shows you how quickly football can change as he has always had ability but the big thing for me is that he has now found his natural position. When we had Luke at Dundee we discovered that he can play in a few different midfield positions - central, left and right - so I think he will be an excellent addition to Celtic and he will help the squad out no end.

"You have to give credit to Tony Docherty for playing him more centrally in midfield for an extended period of time as Luke has flourished and his career has sky-rocketed because of that. Sometimes that is all it takes just a wee tweak or a change of position and it all happens from there.

"I remember once during COVID times when we had 11 fit players and I was on the bench that day that's how bad it was! Luke played in the centre of midfield and he was very good. By the time we had everybody available, it was between him and Charlie Adam in midfield. Charlie was a big player for Dundee at the time. He could play off the side and he never really got that run in the central position but since he has had that under Tony Doc he has been a revelation.

"I was thinking back to other players that the same thing has happened to. Paul Hartley and Barry Robson were two that immediately sprung to mind. Hartley and Robson were wingers who converted into more central midfield roles and they both kicked on later in their careers and earned their respective moves to Celtic. Both of them did great at Celtic playing in a position that was not their natural one when they were breaking through at different teams.

"It's great to see guys like that achieve success. It's brilliant to see players like Luke who have done the hard yards and graduated through the leagues and ground their way to the top and getting the rewards for it."

(Image: SNS Group Craig Williamson)

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Mackay, who skippered St Johnstone to Scottish Cup glory in 2014, is adamant that McCowan will be the surprise package of the bunch of Celtic's transfer deadline day captures. He urged the Celtic supporters not to judge McCowan on his price tag alone as the former Dundee captain has a hell of a lot to offer.

Mackay is confident that working with an elite-level manager in Brendan Rodgers and a higher calibre of player at Celtic Park will bring the best out of McCowan's undoubted talent. The 43-year-old is well aware that Rodgers signs the best people as well as players for his club and Mackay insists that Celtic have snared one of the best in terms of attitude and application but a lad who will keep his feet planted firmly on the ground. Mackay said: "Luke is only 26 and it is a great time for him and Celtic. His peak years are ahead of him. This is not a kid coming in as he's amassed a lot of Scottish Premiership experience with Dundee. He does not need to be developed as he is coming into the best years of his career.

"He may have only been playing in a more central midfield role for over a year so there will be lots of progression there. He will improve by playing with better players in the system that Celtic play and he will only get better and better. Luke can score goals, he can create goals, he has the mobility to get around the pitch, technically he is very good and he is a clever footballer. He can play those intricate passes and I genuinely believe that given time he will force his way into Celtic's starting XI or he will play a large part in most of the games. I think he will play a lot of games for Celtic and he will make a big impact.

"The fact that he is a massive Celtic fan will also help him settle into the club but the type of player Luke is, he will get the supporters on the edge of their seats. He has the quality to go and stamp his authority on games. He will also be playing under a first-class manager in Rodgers and he will improve him. Luke will surprise people, I am telling you right now and whilst £1 million is pennies for Celtic they will benefit greatly from this signing as it is a great piece of business by the club.

"He is a quiet lad but he was well-liked within the Dens Park dressing room as we had a good group of boys who all hung about together. Like is really down to earth and he is grounded and he is hard working and he is certainly not big-headed as he would never let signing for Celtic get to his head. He will remain the same sort of boy and he will appreciate where he is.

"He will be humble and down to earth and Rodgers will like the fact that it is his hard work and performances that have got him his dream move to Celtic."

Having made his Celtic debut during Sunday's 3-0 rout of Rangers at Parkhead, Mackay believes the sky is the limit for McCowan. One thing is for certain, McCowan will take it all in his stride. Mackay confidently predicted that it won't be long before McCowan is donning another dark blue jersey in the shape of Scotland colours for Steve Clarke's international side. Mackay said: "It was a good introduction for Luke to his Celtic career and I am glad he got to experience the derby match for his debut. The way the Rangers game was going allowed for that to happen and he fitted in right away. I don't think Luke is the type that will be overawed by playing for a club like Celtic.

"He will get some opportunities however he might not be an automatic starter right away and he may have to earn the right to force his way into the Celtic team, especially with the way they are playing at the minute. He is the type who will make an impact from the bench and he will give Rodgers something to think about going forward.

"I believe it won't be long before Scotland comes calling as he is very good at what he does in that position. This is just the tip of the iceberg for Luke as he will get better and better as a player. I am convinced of that."