Ajax, Bayern Munich, RB Leipzig. A trio of Champions League-style clubs on Nicholas Kuhn’s CV before he arrived at Celtic.
Now he wants to show people exactly why the Parkhead club signed him. The Hoops winger might not have made the first-team breakthrough in Holland or Germany. But his experiences in Amsterdam, Munich and Leipzig gave him an insight into the game’s top level. That’s why Kuhn is so excited to play Champions League football at Parkhead this season.
Having now established himself in Brendan Rodgers’ side, the 24-year-old feels his career is ready to take off. And if he performs well in Europe he also expects to challenge for a place in Germany’s squad alongside talented wide players such as Florian Wirtz, Jamal Musiala and Leroy Sane. After being at those three massive clubs as a young player, Kuhn wants to prove exactly why he was there in the first place.
At his previous clubs he featured in the UEFA Youth League and excelled. But he knows that it won’t compare to the real deal with the Hoops.
Kuhn, who arrived from Rapid Vienna in January, said: “I can’t wait for the Champions League – that’s one of the reasons why I came to Celtic. I’m looking forward to the draw to see who we get in the tournament. I always loved playing in the youth Champions League. It was great to challenge myself against teams from different countries and I had some nice experiences.
“We travelled to different cities to play against top sides. I remember scoring a very good goal for Leipzig against FC Porto. I would like one of them in the Champions League this year – or maybe two! I enjoyed it, I did well in it – but now I can’t wait to experience the real Champions League. Playing against Manchester City and Chelsea in America this summer also gave me a taste of what to expect against top-quality opposition like that.
“When I was at Ajax back in 2019 they had an unbelievable year, reaching the semi-final. It was a great team who came so close to reaching the final. As a young player it was a good experience to see all of the senior players and how they worked. Erik ten Hag was the manager, Marc Overmars was there and Michael Reiziger was my coach in the second team. So it was good to learn and pick up tips. Ajax always have a strong youth academy so it was the right place for me back then.”
At that time Kuhn was regarded as one of Germany’s most prodigious talents. So much so that he won the Fritz Walter Medal. It’s a special award given to the country’s top-rated young player, with Wirtz and Kai Havertz a couple of its recent recipients.
That helped him earn a move to the Allianz Arena, where he found it tough to break into Bayern’s star-studded side. But now he’s at Celtic and preparing for the Champions League, he’s convinced he can catch the eye of German national team manager Julian Nagelsmann.
Kuhn said: “That award is a really big thing in Germany. I was very proud and honoured to be chosen for the medal in 2019. I didn’t see it as added pressure on me. I just viewed it as recognition for what I had done at youth level.
“It was big for me back then – but now I want to show why I won the award. And I still have ambitions to play for Germany alongside those other guys. When I joined Celtic I wanted to play in the Champions League. After that, my ambition is the national team. I played for all the Germany age groups, from Under-15 up to Under-20. And I was always one of the leaders in the teams.
“I was captain at times and of course I want to show that on the big stage too one day. Every career takes a different path but right now I’m on a good road and I want it to continue. I remember Reiziger speaking to us about our careers at Ajax. He gathered us all together one day and said, ‘You will all be professionals but it depends on you where you are going to land.’ I’m at Celtic now and I’m really enjoying it.”
After impressing against Hibs in the Premiership last weekend, Kuhn wants to follow it up with another stellar display against the Edinburgh side in the Premier Sports Cup today. At Easter Road, David Gray’s men couldn’t live with the German on one flank and veteran James Forrest on the other, with the duo combining for the opening goal.
Kuhn grabbed an early opener to set the scene and Callum McGregor added the second in a 2-0 win. Kuhn said: “James is a really good player and I’m looking to learn from him. He has been at Celtic for a long time so, as a new player coming into the club, it’s always good to have someone like him around. James has won everything for Celtic and you can see his quality and experience. Even last week he was so quick to get on the ball and cross for my goal.
“I’m so happy to be playing with him. We are all feeling good and we are ready for the cup game. Personally, I’m feeling confident and we want another good performance. We have to bring the same energy on the pitch as we did last time against Hibs. But this is a different game. It’s a cup tie, a one-off game and we have to get through. We are prepared for that.”
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