Celtic boss Tony Mowbray has denied he signed Zheng Zhi with a view to marketing the Parkhead club in the Far East.

The China captain was unveiled at Celtic Park on Friday morning after signing a one-year deal with a one-year option.

Shunsuke Nakamura helped promote the name of Celtic in Japan before he left in the summer but Mowbray denied his new man was recruited to fill a gap with regards to the club's off-field activities.

"It was a totally footballing decision," Mowbray said. "We were looking for a midfield player, basically. We lost Paul Hartley and Shunsuke Nakamura and we needed some footballers in that area of the pitch.

"I'm trying to add quality to that area so it was a totally football decision. I tried to sign him for West Brom so he has an understanding that I respect him as a player.

"His versatility is one of the main reasons he is here. He played against my West Brom team for Charlton and he was the most effective playing behind a striker or as a holding midfielder, or as a wide player. He's just a good footballer and I've said from day one that I like good footballers."