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Shaun Maloney has praised Hyun-jun Yang for taking his Celtic career to another level last season after the winger responded brilliantly to a failed transfer move. Yang came close to leaving Parkhead last summer, with Birmingham City pushing hard to sign the South Korean. The winger travelled to St Andrew’s and underwent part of his medical before the move collapsed at the final stage. Instead of allowing the disappointment to derail him, Yang returned to Glasgow, kept his head down and worked his way back into Brendan Rodgers’ plans. You would never have known he had been so close to leaving. Yang became a regular starter on the right wing and delivered some of his best football since joining Celtic, establishing himself as an important member of the squad. Now, Maloney has hailed the 24-year-old for his development. The Celtic assistant manager was speaking after taking charge from the dugout in Sunday’s 5-1 win over Kilmarnock, with Martin O’Neill recovering at home following a small procedure in hospital. Maloney said: “Yang kind of just took that right-wing position by the scruff of the neck last year. “He went to another level. I think he’s always been that sort of impact player at the club. “But last year, he went, ‘I want to be an important player’. “But we need a left-sided player there too because you can attack differently. “So, we need to strengthen that side of the attack.” [RecordSport] Yang’s story is a good example of why patience can sometimes pay off. A year ago, he appeared to be heading for the exit door. Instead, he stayed, worked hard and turned himself into an important player. Now he enters the new campaign with the backing of the coaching staff and a clear role in O’Neill’s plans. And judging by Maloney’s comments, Celtic are not looking to replace Yang. He seems firmly in their plans.