Celtic’s academy is currently in the spotlight.
After breaking through under Brendan Rodgers, Colby Donovan starred in Celtic’s win against Feyenoord, and is seemingly the new hope of the Parkhead academy.
Kieran Tierney and Callum McGregor both also featured in the win, having established themselves at the top level since graduating from the academy.
But that isn’t always how it works. Ben Gannon-Doak, Aidan Borland and Liam Morrison are just three of the players to have left the Celts’ academy as teenagers in recent years, before their senior careers were even underway.
And one current youngster could be set to follow suit.
Celtic braced for bid from Liverpool for academy star
Liverpool invest heavily in their youth teams, routinely poaching teenagers from other clubs.
Rio Ngumoha is their current teenage superstar, after the Reds lured him to Anfield from Chelsea last year.
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According to the Daily Record, Celtic defender Dara Jikeimi is the latest on their list, after being watched closely by scouts at Anfield.
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The 15-year-old is a Scottish youth international, and has also been linked with Nottingham Forest.
Yet to make his debut for the B team, not much is known about the youngster, and Hoops fans haven’t had the chance to see him.
But evidently, he is well-liked in scouting circles. The report says that Liverpool are readying a bid next summer – but these deals typically involve relatively meagre fees.
If Jikeimi doesn’t want to sign a professional contract at Celtic, the club become powerless. The bids are intended to rule out future compensation for the buying club; this is what happened with Gannon-Doak.
Celtic’s recent Barrowfield development was intended to prevent these scenarios, but it seemingly hasn’t affected the thinking of this youngster.
Standout players from Celtic’s B team
Celtic’s B team has come in for plenty of criticism, with some fans believing that competing in Scotland’s fifth tier makes it pointless.
But Donovan is an example that it can still produce first-team capable players.
Also in the matchday squad in Rotterdam on Thursday were Finlay Hale and Samuel Isiguzo, two Scotland youth internationals who have been training with the first-team.
16-year-old Emmanuel Obidiwe has also impressed in breaking into the B team – that could be another name to remember.
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