One of the Celtic youngsters is taking his opportunity out on loan, making a good claim for a step up to the first-team next season.
The Hoops have several players in their ranks who haven’t yet had much of a chance to play with the first-team squad. A spell out on loan can build great experience and help these young players develop, provided they do get game time at the loan club.
Back in the summer transfer window of 2019, Lee O’Connor signed for Celtic from Manchester United. He’s still only 20 years of age, so he was always going to be a long-term option and was sent out on loan to Tranmere Rovers last August.
So far this season he has made 30 appearances for them, showing great positional versatility in the process of doing so. O’Connor helped them reach the EFL Trophy final at Wembley but missed the game due to a knock in training. Otherwise, we’d have seen him up against Aiden McGeady, who plays for Sunderland now. Ultimately, Tranmere Rovers lost the final 1-0.
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O’Connor might have a big future at Celtic
Despite that disappointment, O’Connor is definitely building experience and turning in good displays for the League Two side. He has already even made his full Republic of Ireland debut, in a friendly against New Zealand back in 2019.
A fellow Irishman at Tranmere Rovers, Joe Murphy, spoke highly of the youngster as reported by The 42, predicting O’Connor has a big future ahead of him:
"“Lee is the sort of player who could play anywhere and he’d do a great job. He’s got a really big future and he’s a great lad. Whether it’s at Celtic or somewhere else, hopefully he can push on and get some more games under his belt. That’s what it’s like at that age.”"
It all sounds promising and he could be developing his career out on loan in a similar manner to that of Callum McGregor’s spell at Notts County back in 2013/14. If O’Connor can return and continue his development at Parkhead, he can be an important member of a team looking to rebuild.
They could certainly do with a player of his versatility, who has already played at right-back, right midfield and defensive midfield this season.