Kolo Toure joins Celtic on free transfer after Liverpool exit

Veteran defender Kolo Toure has joined Scottish champions Celtic on a free transfer after he was released by Liverpool.

The 35-year-old has signed a one-year contract at Celtic Park to reunite with Brendan Rodgers, his former boss at Liverpool, and will be officially unveiled on 25 July.

Rodgers said Toure's experience would be invaluable to his Bhoys squad as they look to qualify for the Champions League group stages.

"I brought Kolo into Liverpool to add that bit of experience and help to the centre-halves there at the time," the Ulsterman told Celtic's official website.

"You saw from his impact there and in particular last season, he was a very important player for Jurgen Klopp towards the end of last season, playing in the Europa League final.

"He was outstanding in the big games for me when I was there. He looks after himself, he's a wonderful professional and he has good experience."

Big-game experience

Toure made 14 league appearances for Liverpool last season, scoring one goal.

His final appearance for the Reds was the Europa League final in Basel, which the Reds lost 3-1 to Sevilla.

The centre-back is Rodgers' second signing of the transfer window after Fulham striker Moussa Dembele.

The former Swansea boss added: "With a lot of young players in our squad, he can really help them and he can be of great assistance for the likes of Scott Brown, who is a wonderful leader.

"But he needs support and help around him as well. It will be nice for Scotty to have someone behind him who has that real big-game experience. Kolo can do very well for us."

Rodgers was also interested in signing midfielder Joe Allen from Liverpool, but the Welshman looks set to complete a £13m ($17m) transfer to Stoke City.

Celtic travel to Kazakhstan for the first leg of their Champions League third qualifying round tie against Astana on 27 July.