Celtic's teenage loan signing Shim Mheuka has opened up about his unique Glasgow connections, his footballing inspirations, and his immediate ambitions at Parkhead. The 18-year-old Chelsea forward, who joined on a season-long deal, spoke exclusively to the Daily Record about adapting to life with the Scottish champions.
Mheuka arrives in Glasgow with Celtic sitting top of the Premiership, having taken a perfect 15 points from their opening five matches. They lead the table by three points from Heart of Midlothian, having scored 13 goals while conceding just three. The young forward is eager to contribute to a squad that is currently without several key players, including Alistair Johnston, Callum Osmand, Kasper Høgh, Kieran Tierney, and Jota, as detailed on the club's injuries page.
What links Shim Mheuka to Rangers?
One of the more surprising revelations from the interview is Mheuka's friendship with Rangers player Mikey Moore. The pair have been teammates for England's youth squads, and Mheuka sought advice from Moore before making his move north. "I’ve been part of the England squads with Mikey. I watched his games from last year," Mheuka said. He added, "He’s a good friend of mine so I spoke to him before I came here and he told me it’s a beautiful city and I’d really enjoy it."
This cross-city friendship highlights the modern, interconnected nature of academy football. Mheuka's path to Celtic Park began in Chelsea's youth setup, following an early move from Brighton. He has already made a couple of first-team appearances for Chelsea and gained European experience with a substitute appearance in a Champions League clash in Astana.
How has his family shaped his career?
Football runs in the Mheuka family. His father, Malcolm, was a professional midfielder in Zimbabwe, playing for clubs like Zimbabwe Saints and Circle Cement. Although Shim has never seen his father play live, he has studied newspaper clippings and old footage. Malcolm Mheuka, who operated as a number 8 or 10, offered specific advice about his son's new manager and club. He told the youngster about Celtic boss Martin O'Neill and what to expect at Parkhead, providing a valuable personal perspective on the environment.
Shim Mheuka's own idols are drawn from his time at Chelsea. He cites club legend Didier Drogba as a major inspiration, though he has never met the Ivorian striker. More directly, he has learned from training with and observing current Chelsea stars like Reece James, Enzo Fernandez, Joao Pedro, and Nicolas Jackson. These experiences have shaped him into a forward who simply loves to score goals.
What are his immediate goals at Celtic?
Mheuka's start to life in green and white has been promising, with an impressive cameo off the bench in the recent match at St Mirren. He was controversially ruled offside for what would have been a goal, with VAR unable to conclusively overturn the decision. That moment has only fueled his desire to find the net officially. He describes himself as a player who wants to score whenever he plays.
His opportunities this season will be exclusively domestic. Manager Martin O'Neill made certain squad sacrifices for European registration, meaning Mheuka will not be involved in the Europa League group stage. He is fully focused on making an impact in the Premiership whenever called upon. The youngster is pragmatic about his development, acknowledging he is only 18 and has a long way to go, but he is determined to seize his chances.
Celtic's next challenge is a home fixture against Motherwell on December 26th. Motherwell currently sit 5th in the table, and the match is a key part of the festive fixtures schedule as Celtic look to maintain their flawless start. Fans can track the team's progress and league position on the official standings page. Mheuka aims to be part of that continued success, ready to contribute on the right side of Glasgow.
