Can highly-rated Celtic youngster break into the first-team?

Can the highly-rated Celtic youngster break into Neil Lennon’s first-team plans next season when they challenge for 10IAR.

Financially, COVID-19’s impact and restrictions on football have meant that many clubs will have to perhaps minimise expenditure with regards to the acquisition of transfer targets.

Even the world’s biggest clubs: Celtic included, may have to find creative frugal solutions in some quarters to bolster our ranks as we strive towards potentially the most important period of our club’s history since 1967.

Circumstantially, this unique setting could provide a road-map for some of our younger players to break into the senior realm. With the Bhoys more likely to devote spending to defensive reinforcements; one player of interest who could hypothetically be called upon in the upcoming campaign could be 20-year-old attacker Jack Aitchison.

The youthful Scotsman could find himself in an intriguing position; due to out of favour forwards Vakoun Issouf Bayo and Patryk Klimala most probably exiting the club on a loan basis.

So, what could Jack Aitchison offer offensively in the forthcoming season?

Statistically, the bygone 2019/20 term earned the starlet more than a few plaudits. In all competitions the Scotland U19 cap scored seven goals and delivered six assists in in 32 games. Albeit, two of these outings came for Celtic Colts in the challenge cup amassing a goal and assist in those games combined.

However, all in all the attacker managed a goal involvement of nearly one goal in two across the board which is a notable accomplishment for a relatively inexperienced player at first team level.

Furthermore, he demonstrated qualities of versatility for the Nailsworth club; despite naturally inclined to be a striker, he predominantly featured for Forest Green in the attacking midfield position, showing a keen goal-scoring threat as well as an eye for a pass.

Tendencies of competence in multiple positions are only going to help the youngster in his quest to break through at Parkhead, when contextualising current affairs with regards to reduced spending from all SPFL clubs; the Celts could do a lot worse than utilising Aitchison as a backup option.

Funnily enough, it’s easy to forget that the player in question is actually a record holder at Celtic Park. At a mere 16 years and 71 days the centre-forward scored in former manager Ronny Deila’s last game in charge in Glasgow in a 7-0 triumph at home to Motherwell.

Fortunately, the record-breaker has time on his side to cultivate a successful career at the Bhoys should he come into the picture in the imminent calendar months.

Despite this, Aitchison is out of contract in 12 months, meaning any meaningful impact could be very timely in his endeavours to persuade Neil Lennon to offer him an extension.

Lets hope that last season isn’t the only impact Jack Aitchison will have in green!