Ange Postecoglou handed deadline-day signing Oliver Abildgaard his Celtic debut in the match against Motherwell - but the 3-1 Champions League defeat to RB Leipzig was the first proper sighting of the Dane. Here's how he got on...

Much discussion had taken place over Abildgaard's position in the Hoops jigsaw. 

This wasn't so much regarding his actual position - he is as centre mid as centre mids come - but more the level of game-time he might be able to garnet when fit with Callum McGregor virtually undroppable and Reo Hatate, Matt O'Riley, David Turnbull, Aaron Mooy and co. to think about.

Indeed, though he has spent some time at centre-back, on each flank and even up front those spells were all pretty nominal and for 90 per cent of his senior minutes he has featured in central midfield.

Still, there lay a curiosity in whether he would feature primarily as a number six or number eight for Celtic given he had (per Wyscout) split his senior central midfield minutes pretty evenly between the two so far in his career.

(As a somewhat interesting aside: when he left Aalborg the coach there specifically said they were "well covered in the eight position" so take from that what you will.)

In any case, like Mooy, it may well be that Abildgaard shifts into either role as required in relation to the other players being used (Postecoglou does like to reiterate it's about player profiles more than nailing people down to one slot after all).

Celtic Way:

On his first substantial sighting in a Celtic shirt against Leipzig, Abildgaard was deployed as the deepest midfielder when McGregor was forced off with an injury in the 38th minute.

His first act was an attempted block on a Dominik Szoboszlai long-ranger less than 30 seconds later.

The Dane then showed very good awareness and composure to, firstly, track back with a Leipzig counter attempt and then allow Celtic to play out of it when they regained possession with a lovely flick. 

His aerial prowess was on display with a nicely-timed headed challenge shortly before half-time and he did seem to be extra-conscious of where Timo Werner's roaming was taking him in particular.

Abildgaard also showed a willingness to go and win the ball in a front-footed manner as opposed to waiting for the play to reach him, though that aggression did enable Christopher Nkunku to swivel past him on one notable occasion prior to the break.

To his credit, he tried to drive forward as the half drew to an end but was caught out in his attempt at playing the ball into the box and allowed a counter-attack which Greg Taylor foiled.

In general there was lots of scanning his surroundings which bodes well and led to a couple of good interceptions - such as in the 52nd minute when his intelligent and robust intervention spoiled a Leipzig counter following a sloppy Moritz Jenz pass.

He was, however, wrong-footed in Dominik Szoboszlai's ruled-out strike while as the game wore on it seemed he faded rather than got stronger and he ended the match partnering James McCarthy in midfield as Celtic went with a front four to chase the game.

Given May was the last time Abildgaard played proper first-team football - and even then it was a run of just a handful of matches following what amounted to four months of inactivity - this was a positive first couple of steps on his road to full integration in green and white.