Alan Stubbs has hailed Cameron Carter-Vickers as 'exceptional' as he likened the way he makes the game look easy to Virgil van Dijk.
Ange Postecoglou moved to land the defender initially on loan from Tottenham during his first season in charge and he proved an instant hit with a key role in the side that lifted the League Cup and won the Premiership title back from Rangers. That was enough to ensure the Celtic boss would shell out a big fee to land him permanently and the USA international has taken off where he left off as the Scottish champions target a domestic Treble this time around.
He has quickly established himself as a fans' favourite and is another in the long line of transfer successes in the market for the Aussie boss beside the likes of Kyogo Furuhashi, Reo Hatate, Jota, Aaron Mooy and Joe Hart to name a few.
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Stubbs - a defender himself in his playing days - believes the stopper has been a big help for team-mate Carl Starfelt, who has also taken his game up a level from when he started in Glasgow, with the former Parkhead man reckoning the Player of the Year shout at the club is between Carter-Vickers and goal machine Kyogo.
He told Grosvenor Sport: “Carter-Vickers has been exceptional. I wouldn’t put him in the same bracket as Virgil van Dijk but I think he makes the game look easy in the same way the Dutchman does.
"He’s a very strong and powerful centre half and he settled so quickly. I think he has been a big help to Carl Starfelt because he has looked nervous at times.
"It’s probably unfortunate for him that he’s got a guy at the other end of the pitch who is doing even better. I think it’s between them for Player of the Year.
"I would have enjoyed playing beside him that’s for sure."
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