In his lone season in Azerbaijan, he featured 45 times and tallied 25 goal involvements (15 goals, 10 assists), but even that wasn’t enough for record holders Qarabag to keep the league crown.
Their European run earned plaudits, yet the expectation of a fifth straight title lingered. They ended up runners-up, nine points behind Sabah.
“Camilo has always had a rebellious streak,” Botero said. “Pressure doesn’t weigh him down—it fires him up.
“When the odds look stacked against him, he does everything he can to swing things his way.”
O’Neill also praised his strength and hold-up play when he first hinted a deal for Duran was close, speaking after a 1-1 friendly draw with Shelbourne.
At St James’ Park in February, he burst past Dan Burn and lashed a finish beyond England goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale.
Celtic fans will hope to see many more goals like that—and they’ll expect further signings to follow.
“We’re looking at a number of players,” O’Neill said in Drumcondra.
“I’m hopeful that in the not-too-distant future—maybe over the next couple of weeks—we’ll add some really good players to complement the very good group already at the club.”
Celtic need a degree of rebuilding, and Duran looks a promising place to start.