Mulumbu, Youssouf

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Personal

Fullname: Youssouf Mulumbu
aka: –
Born: 25 Jan 1987
Birthplace: Kinshasa, Zaire (now called DR Congo)
Signed: 31 Aug 2018 (free, previously at Kilmarnock)
Left: 1 July 2019 (free)
Position: Midfielder
Debut: Kilmarnock 2-1 Celtic, League, 23 Sep 2018
Squad No.: 27
Internationals: DR Congo
International Caps: 36 [complete at end of career]
International Goals: 1 [complete at end of career]

Biog

Youssouf was a free agent having left Kilmarnock, and was brought in late by Brendan Rodgers to a very under underwhelmed support who were in uproar as the 2018 summer transfer window was falling apart.

Prior to Scotland, he had high hopes having played for PSG and then with West Bromwich Albion. With the later, he helped them to the top tier and was a regular with the club for many years.

He later had a spell with Norwich before moving to Kilmarnock, and had even scored a winner for Kilmarnock v Celtic in Feb 2018 in a 1-0 defeat for Celtic.

At the time of his transfer in, the Celtic support were making their voices heard loudly, especially as the first team had missed out on the Champions League qualification. Why if he was free couldn’t Celtic have brought him in a month or two earlier it was asked?

“I don’t feel like I’m old. I showed last year that I still have legs, I can run and I have the experience as well which is very good for the squad.”

Possibly his motivation in part at this stage in his life was a chance to finally win some major silverware that had eluded him through his entire career to date. A laudable ambition.

Anyhow, a squad filler but one role he accepted. He was a big midfielder, more in the old style of looking to shore up the defensive aspect and win the ball, driving it forward by force. Not elegant, but it did the job when it worked.

His debut was a 2-1 defeat to his old club Kilmarnock in the league, who were to surprise everyone that season with their form, and incredibly for the 2018 calendar year were the top performing league side (would have won the title if it was done Jan-Dec 2018). Mulumbu had been the subject of the Kilmarnock supporters’ rage after a series of ill-tempered tussles with Aaron Tshibola that led to both men being booked by the referee as he struggled to retain control.

He soon after played for Celtic in a one-sided defeat to high-flying RB Salzburg in the Europa League group stages, and was then dropped to the bench. As he said of the opposition & the result:

“When you look at the game last night it looks we respected them too much”.

One game that highlighted his flaws was when coming on against RB Leipzig as a sub at home in the Europa League. Celtic won the game 2-1, but he was clearly out of his depth at this level, lack of certain experience meant he couldn’t manage this game and there were concerns.

Regardless, he still gave his all, but he needed to work on those deficiencies, but at a Celtic beginning to stutter in the challenge for the league title, chances for Mulumbu were becoming more difficult to get.

His transfer in was always as back-up support for the team. He never disgraced himself on the field, and there was a general respect for his efforts.

He was loaned out to Kilmarnock after just half a season in January 2019, which signalled the end of his chances at Celtic. So he had arrived from Kilmarnock, scored a winner v Kilmarnock and now heading back there on loan. It was as if he was tied to the club. It was actually a great time to be with Kilmarnock, as they had a fine season finishing third under manager Steve Clark who was to become the Scotland manager at the end of the season.

He was released a year early from his contract in July 2019 (Celtic exercising an option after one year of the two year contract), just as Mulumbu had returned from the African Cup of Nations. It was inevitable and all for the best.

We wished him the best.

Post-Celtic

He remained at Kilmarnock, mostly used intermittently, but it appears that he left Kilmarnock on a low after three stints at the club.

In May 2021, Kilmarnock manager Tommy Wright admitted some of his Kilmarnock players were happy Youssouf Mulumbu had left the club ahead of the play-off clash with Dundee. He was in his third spell at Rugby Park but cleaned out his locker and went AWOL after the final league game of the campaign against Hamilton Academical. “I’m not stunned that he has left, Tommy Wright said. “Having worked with him, the type of player he is, nothing stuns me about him. Since I’ve been here he’s done nowhere near enough to be in the team, so it’s not something I’ve lost any sleep over. Some of the players are happy actually.” Kilmarnock were soon relegated from the top tier after 28 years following defeat in the playoffs.

Quotes

“Joining Celtic means for the first time in my life I will be able to compete to be a champion and win trophies. This is what motivates me to work harder and I want to be part of this.”
Youssouf Mulumbu

Former Kilmarnock star Youssouf Mulumbu revealed there was interest from Rangers and Aberdeen when he signed for Celtic. A conversation with then Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers helped seal the deal after a switch to France fell through, while he also turned down former club West Brom. Mulumbu said: “I almost lost everything because my agent was very bad and my family was starting to fight with each other. So it was a good thing for me to go to Celtic because people saw me as a good player.”
Youssouf Mulumbu (High Press Podcast, Nov 2021)

Playing Career

Honours with Celtic

Pictures

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KDS

• First Thread (started 2018)

Signing

YOUSSOUF Mulumbu has signed for Celtic on a two-year deal, and the midfielder is delighted to have made the move to the Scottish champions.

The Congolese midfielder spent last season at Kilmarnock, scoring his first goal for the club in a 1-0 win over Celtic in February, having previously enjoyed spells down south with West Brom and Norwich City.

And having put pen to paper on the deal, the 31-year-old can’t wait to start training with his new team-mates.

Speaking to the official Celtic website, he said: “I walked on to the pitch when I signed and it felt amazing. These are the reasons we play football.

“My immediate focus is to stay fit and ready and be 100 per cent ready. I’ve played at Celtic Park as the opposition and it’s a special place to play, so I’m looking forward to being part of the team and playing there.

“I cannot describe how amazing this day is for me, but it’s one step to the other. I have signed but now I must work hard to play.

“The first goal for me is to show to the manager that I’m ready. Anytime he needs me I will respond on the pitch. I know the game and what is expected of me so I’m going to be ready when the gaffer needs me.

“This is what you work for as a footballer. To play in a big team like Celtic is just amazing. I always work very hard and I want to help the young lads here. We have so much to achieve. We need to do well in the Europa League, retain all the domestic trophies and continue winning the Glasgow derbies. It’s amazing to be part of that.”

Why Youssouf Mulumbu is both a good signing and a damning indictment

https://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/teams/celtic/why-youssouf-mulumbu-is-both-a-good-signing-and-a-damning-indictment-1-4792915

Aug 2018
Celtic have completed the signing of Youssouf Mulumbu who impressed at Kilmarnock last season. Craig Fowler looks at the positives of the deal but also what it says for the club’s recruitment.At the end of a frustrating transfer window for Celtic fans, management staff and players, the Hoops finally appear to have signed the man to replace Stuart Armstrong and bolster their midfield corps.

While he’s the replacement for Armstrong in terms of position, he’s a different player to the Scottish international. Armstrong was known for his driving runs through lines and propensity to score belters. Mulumbu, meanwhile, has the edge when it comes to strength and close control.The 31-year-old can bully an opponent off the ball and then embarrass him by producing a deft piece of skill to evade their rebuke. He’ll likely not start when everyone is fully fit, but with Celtic competing on four fronts, he should get his fair share of game time and sparkle in a Celtic uniform.He may even be used as a stand-in for Scott Brown when the captain needs a rest. The reigning PFA Scotland Player of the Year turned 33 over the summer and has already witnessed his form waver a bit with Celtic’s demanding early season schedule. Expecting him to play just about every game is no longer plausible. Though Mulumbu prefers to play further forward and is a decent playmaker in that area, his composure on the football and physical qualities would enable him to fill in as the enforcer in front of the back four.

He ticks a lot of boxes and arrives without a transfer fee. No doubt, this should turn out to be a very good deal. However, it’s also another damning indictment of Celtic’s transfer strategy.Perhaps that’s too harsh on the Parkhead hierarchy. Perhaps they wanted Mulumbu as soon as the window opened but the player was holding out for a move to the English Premier League which never materialised. But seeing as Mulumbu has been available for a pre-contract offer since January, and the way this summer has gone for the Ladbrokes Premiership champions, not to mention the failed pursuit for John McGinn, it seems far more likely that they’ve been forced into settling as the transfer deadline draws near.It’s also a move which questions the strength of Celtic’s scouting network. Despite having a designated head of recruitment in Lee Congerton and scouts working for them across the globe, the club’s transfer wishlist is largely confined to those who impress in the Ladbrokes Premiership or a promising youngster from an English Premier League side available for loan.They have been recognised in recent years for signing some of the brightest young stars in world football and selling them on for a profit, if you think of Virgil van Dijk, Victor Wanyama and, soon to be, Moussa Dembele.

Youssouf Mulumbu set on being a ‘big name’ at Celtic

Andrew Smith

https://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/teams/celtic/youssouf-mulumbu-set-on-being-a-big-name-at-celtic-1-4794973

A free transfer for a 31-year-old in the form of Youssouf Mulumbu didn’t exactly match up to Celtic supporters’ demand for a “big-name” permanent signing in the closing days of the transfer window. However, the midfielder who excelled in a short spell for Kilmarnock last season is confident that in time he can fit that bill for the club’s faithful. “Big names happen when you play well,” said the Democratic Republic of Congo international. “I can be a big name in a few months if I score against Rangers and play some good games. It’s all about your performances. I know there is pressure on the team and club but I’m ready for that. I’ve got experience and ability to play. I’m ready and excited to be in 
the squad.”

“I can say I’m lucky to be here. But at the same time, my performances brought me. So it wasn’t really a gamble because I knew something big was going to happen for me. Now I just have to show why I am a Celtic player.“I first heard of Celtic’s interest four weeks ago. My agent called me and he had spoken to the board so after that I had to have a chat with the manager. When a manager like Brendan Rodgers calls then you don’t hesitate. Once that happened it was: ‘Let’s go!’“Then it was the longest two weeks of my life until the deal was finally done. I had to be patient but I was texting my agent every hour, but I’m looking forward to it now. I’m 31 but I still have the legs – once you hit 30 in football people think you’re old but I proved last season that I can help this team.“I was living in Glasgow before. I know the city. I have experience of the pressure around this team. I am ready for that challenge. I know I am going to do great for Celtic.”

Youssouf Mulumbu to decide future after Congo duty as Celtic cut short deal

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/48830372
By Stefan Bienkowski

BBC Sport Scotland

58 minutes ago From the section Celtic

Mulumbu departs Celtic one year in to contract
Mulumbu departs Celtic one year into his contract

Youssouf Mulumbu will make a decision on his future on returning from the Africa Cup of Nations after Celtic cut short his contract by a year.

The 32-year-old Congolese midfielder is currently with his national team at the tournament in Egypt.

But he has departed the Scottish champions half way through a two-year deal, having joined from Premiership rivals Kilmarnock last summer.

Celtic activated a clause allowing them to cancel the deal.

Mulumbu made just three appearances for the Glasgow side before returning on loan to Kilmarnock in January for the remainder of the season.

He made 12 appearances as Kilmarnock finished third in the table under Steve Clarke, who has since become Scotland head coach.

The former West Bromwich Albion midfielder had earned his move to Celtic having impressed the previous season after joining the Ayrshire club following his departure from Norwich City.

Mulumbu was an unused substitute for DR Congo’s 2-0 defeats by Uganda and hosts Egypt but returned to the starting line-up for a 4-0 win over Zimbabwe.

It leaves Florent Ibenge’s squad awaiting the results from two more groups to see if they progress to the knock-out stage as one of the best third-placed sides.