Celtic’s Camilo Duran named Scottish Premiership player of the month for August

Celtic forward Camilo Duran has been named the Scottish Premiership’s player of the month for August after making an immediate impact following his summer move from Qarabag.

The Colombia international scored both of Celtic’s goals in their 2-1 victory over Falkirk, before finding the net again against Aberdeen. Those performances have helped Duran establish himself as one of the leading contributors to Celtic’s strong start to the season.

Duran has now scored six goals in seven appearances across all competitions since joining the Scottish champions. His form has earned recognition only a short time after arriving from the Azerbaijani club, and he has quickly become an important attacking option for Celtic.

The award comes ahead of Celtic’s Scottish Premiership meeting with St Mirren on Saturday. Hitham Hassan’s team-mate will be hoping to continue his scoring run as Celtic look to maintain their position at the top of the table.

Celtic lead the league with 12 points from their opening four matches. St Mirren are second on 10 points, meaning Saturday’s fixture will bring together the top two sides in the standings.

Celtic will then face another league match against St Johnstone next Wednesday as their busy run of fixtures continues.

Their first derby of the season will come on Sunday, 13 September, when Celtic meet Rangers in the quarter-final of the Scottish League Cup. Duran’s contribution could prove significant as Celtic prepare for one of the most eagerly anticipated fixtures of the campaign.

The Colombian’s goals against Falkirk and Aberdeen have formed the foundation of his six-goal tally, while his consistency across seven matches has helped him secure the August prize. His arrival from Qarabag during the summer has therefore been followed by a rapid adaptation to Scottish football.

With Celtic leading St Mirren by two points after four games, Duran now has the opportunity to add to his early-season total in the league leaders’ next three fixtures. The immediate challenge is Saturday’s match with St Mirren, followed by the meeting with St Johnstone and then the Scottish League Cup quarter-final against Rangers.

Celtic’s schedule means Duran will be central to the club’s ambitions on both fronts. His award recognises his performances during August, while his latest appearances will be closely watched as Celtic attempt to protect their lead in the Scottish Premiership and progress in the cup.