Aiden McGeady has admitted being ‘close’ to joining Arsenal before committing to Celtic.
As a youngster, the winger was hot property, being invited to go on trial with various clubs in Scotland and England.
In the two decades since McGeady’s breakthrough, we have only become more accustomed to young players from Celtic – and Scotland as a whole – jumping at early moves down south.
Ironically, however, the Ireland international decided to commit to Celtic for the exact reason why youngsters now move away.
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Aiden McGeady says Celtic decision was ‘best thing he’s done’
Speaking on Open Goal this week, McGeady said: “I first signed for Celtic.
“Before that, the kind of years leading up to that was kind of when I was going on trial down the teams in England and stuff.
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Celtic v Kilmarnock
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“I was probably quite close to signing for Arsenal. They were probably the biggest team I felt most comfortable with.
“But then my dad (ex-Sheffield United winger John McGeady) kind of put it quite simply for me. He was like, ‘[I] did the same thing.’ He left school at 16, moved down to Sheffield.
“He said, ‘Look, you if you sign for Arsenal, what’s the chances of you actually making it in the first team? Probably quite slim.
“‘At Celtic, you can stay at home, you can still see all your friends, you can live with your family… there’s more chance of getting in the first team.
‘And I signed for Celtic and it was the best thing I’ve done.”
Compare that father-and-son conversation with that of Rocco and Rudi Vata 18 months ago, with the young winger being persuaded to move away from Celtic to join Watford.
In fairness to the Vatas, Rocco was a decent bit older in 2024 than McGeady was at the time of his Arsenal decision.
Should Celtic have done more to keep Rocco Vata?
Ex-Celtic player Rocco Vata in action for Watford against Hull City.
Photo by Warren Little/Getty Images
Other young Celtic players to move to England in recent years
Though he may be injured at the moment, Vata’s move has worked out fairly well. Fellow Celtic youngster Daniel Kelly, who moved to Millwall in the same summer, has struggled to make a similar impact, however.
Daniel Cummings joined West Ham at the beginning of this season, having excelled at youth level for Celtic. He has scored five goals in the Hammers’ youth sides this season.
Aidan Borland has been given first team football by Unai Emery at Aston Villa after moving there in 2023. He is currently on loan at Swindon Town.
Ben Gannon-Doak already has 12 Scotland caps at the age of just 20, having left Liverpool to join Bournemouth for a fee rising to £25 million last summer.
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