Signed From: Middlesbrough Fee: Free Celtic fans would have been excited to sign the mercurial Brazilian who had shone at Middlesbrough twice in the late '90s and brought a slice of samba brilliance to the unlikeliest of British towns, even despite the club's relegation during his first spell. But then, the player who signed for Celtic in August 2004 wasn't the same player. Having left Middlesbrough after a third spell, Juninho had clearly decided to give up on his tenacity and skill, and looked a timid, push-over of a midfielder who went from playing with hulking Premier League defenders to being unable to cope with the rigours of the SPL. His legs had obviously gone, which made the decision to play him out wide on the right, instead of his favoured central position all the more baffling when he actually got on the pitch. He might have been free, but in terms of wages, he was still a rip-off.
