The new signing speaks after the friendly against Celtic

Following Sporting Clube de Portugal's 4-1 victory over Celtic FC, Jesse Derry reacted to his first unofficial appearance.

"It's been fantastic. All the players have welcomed me very well. It's unbelievable. Being in front of the fans today was a surreal moment. They were tremendous and I can't wait for more,” he told the media.

"There are some new players here and the language barrier can sometimes be tricky, but I'm learning and the guys have been fantastic. I want to play more games and take more Portuguese lessons, so I can talk to everyone," he added.

“The way Sporting CP plays helps a lot with my style of play. Liga Portugal is fantastic. I'm privileged to, hopefully, be able to play in this league soon. And the fans are fantastic. I can't wait to play at the Estádio José Alvalade," he stated.

Against Celtic FC, Derry wore the number 28 shirt, the same number used by Cristiano Ronaldo during his time at Alvalade. He confirmed the choice wasn't accidental: "Cristiano Ronaldo is an idol for everyone, and wearing his number is a privilege," he revealed.

"The players here are unbelievable, everything is so fast. At the end of today's game, with this weather as well, I was out of breath -but it's been very good."

Finally, Derry mentioned coach Rui Borges: "He's phenomenal. As you saw today, the team played very well against a good team like Celtic. I think we can have a good season."