Liverpool appear to have sealed a deal to sign Dara Jikiemi from Celtic. The highly rated Scotland U16 captain looks set to leave Celtic for the Anfield club.
As reported by Fabrizio Romano, Jikiemi will become the latest talent from Celtic’s Academy to leave for the Premier League.
🚨🏴 Liverpool have sealed deal to sign Scotland U16 captain Dara Jikiemi from Celtic, here we go!
Jikiemi has signed paperwork on Sunday to join #LFC on a 5 year contract. 🔴🤝🏿 pic.twitter.com/3tbLRp2gJt
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) July 6, 2026
Celtic and other Scottish teams are struggling to retain their best and brightest due to the riches of the Premier League. Remarkably, Liverpool fans have been bemoaning their talent being poached by top six rivals.
In order to compete with the market, Celtic need to offer a pathway to the First Team. Examples of Callum McGregor, Kieran Tierney and James Forrest are constant reminders about the route from Lennoxtown to Celtic Park. However, the pathway has changed for youth players. There are a number of modern examples of his Celtic can help propel talented youngsters onto new heights but the problem is showing that to players when they are dangled the lucrative options of England.
Celtic hired Darren O’Dea into the newly created role of First Team Pathways manager in an effort to knit together the first team with the academy. O’Dea left this role after a season to be replaced with Shaun Maloney, who has since been involved as Assistant Manager. It is important for the club to have a clear structure to attract, retain and develop the best of youth talent in Scotland.