Celtic youngster Dara Jikiemi’s move to Liverpool is ‘hanging in the balance’, it is being reported.
The 15-year-old defender is subject to strong interest from Merseyside, with the Hoops at risk of losing yet another top talent from their academy.
The recent development at Barrowfield was intended, in part, to persuade more young players to ignore interest from down south.
But according to Liverpool reporter David Lynch, the move is currently being halted due to Celtic’s ‘unhappiness’ over the compensation package on offer.
Regardless, Celtic look set to lose the youngster, hence the prolonged negotiations over the compensation package.
Were Celtic right to invest £20 million in Barrowfield with so many academy players leaving?
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Celtic could lose youngster Dara Jikiemi to Liverpool
Liverpool have a proven record of signing and developing teenagers in recent years.
Rio Ngumoha, Harvey Elliott and, of course, Ben Gannon-Doak are among those brought to Anfield from other clubs.
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Celtic first ‘anticipated’ a bid for Jikiemi in November, with Liverpool and Nottingham Forest both in the running.
Jikeimi is a Scotland youth international, who impressed captaining his country against Spain late last year.
He has missed games for Celtic’s under-16s as the interest developed, but the Hoops clearly aren’t willing to be left short-changed.
Celtic losing players to Premier League clubs has become a theme of late. Liam Smith went to Manchester City, Aidan Borland to Aston Villa… you could go on.
Players closer to first-team age have also moved down south, with Daniel Kelly and Rocco Vata both heading to the Championship for more minutes.
At least we have Colby Donovan showing promise after breaking into the first team…
Callum Wilson at Celtic… yes or no?
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Martin O’Neill on Celtic youngster Colby Donovan
Speaking about Donovan after Celtic’s 3-1 win at Feyenoord, Martin O’Neill waxed lyrical over the teenage full-back.
He told Celtic TV: “Couldn’t be more pleased with him. Couldn’t be more pleased. I thought that he had a tough time at Hearts.
“Got left out. He’s come in here. I’ve seen bits of him now that I think, ‘Yeah, wait a minute, there’s a player there’.
“And I thought he was terrific, because he was up against a really decent player. And he coped admirably, considering we were away from home.
“And, yeah, I couldn’t be more pleased with him. I said to him in the dressing room there that he was magnificent tonight.”
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