Auston Trusty will meet up with his new Celtic team-mates for the first time today after sealing a deadline day move to the Scottish champions, signing a five-year deal with Brendan Rodgers’ side. But there’s already a familiar face waiting to welcome him at Lennoxtown in the shape of Cameron Carter-Vickers. They are both team-mates with the United States national side, and that bond goes back to when they were both youth internationalists. And for the new Celtic defender, already delighted at the move from Sheffield United, the opportunity to join up again with Carter-Vickers is just an added bonus. Speaking to Celtic TV, Auston Trusty said: “I know Cam well. We played in the Under-20 World Cup together and we spent an entire month rooming together for that trip so I got to know him pretty well during that time. ‘I’m looking forward to meeting all the guys as well. From what I’ve heard it’s a great environment around the club too so I’m looking forward to it.’ “I feel ecstatic. It’s just such an historic and amazing club, and it’s a club I’ve known about since I was a little kid. Growing up in Philadelphia, football wasn’t such a popular sport but I knew Celtic. “I know who Celtic were and the club, the organisation behind it so it’s a dream come true to join this club and such a massive organisation. Seeing the badge with my own eyes, it’s pretty surreal.”While football (soccer in the States) might not have been the dominant sport when Auston Trusty was growing up, he instantly fell in love with the beautiful game. That, in part, was due to the influence of his older sister, Onnie, 10 years his senior, whose own football career inspired her younger brother. “I grew up in a small town outside of Philadelphia where football was not the most popular sport,” the 23-year-old explained. “It was playing basketball, American football, baseball, any other sport other than soccer. It wasn’t the thing to do. ‘It really started with me kicking a ball around my house and getting inspired through my sister.’ “My sister played in the US national team and she went to Florida State University, so I got to see her lifestyle and her life begin to flourish because she was getting opportunities playing soccer. “So I was a little kid, getting dragged around everywhere to all of her games and I just fell in love with it. “From there, I got introduced to Philadelphia Union, played for Philadelphia, went to Colorado, signed for Arsenal from Colorado, went on loan to Birmingham, leveraged that. Then I went to Sheffield United in the Premier League and now here I am at Celtic.” And now, having swapped the red and white stripes of Sheffield United for the famous green and white Hoops of Celtic, the central defender is ready to be called upon when required, starting with this Sunday’s Glasgow derby at Paradise. “It’s kind of crazy that it all aligned in the same week but it’s pretty cool,” he said. “If I can get the opportunity then I’m looking forward to it. “The manager has said that he believes in me and believes in everything I can do. “It’s up to me and he’ll provide me with the environment where I can thrive, so it’ll be good.”
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