Liverpool player explains why he decided to leave Celtic

Celtic have oftentimes ended up being a stepping stone for players to get a big Premier League move in recent years. Of course, when that happens, it is a clear sign that the Hoops are doing something right. But there are also occasions when youngsters depart Parkhead to head down south before ever making a real impact at the senior level.

It is no secret that Celtic have struggled to provide a pathway into the first-team for their academy graduates in recent years. They have not been helped by the fact that some of their best youngsters have decided to leave early on in their careers.

Ben Doak is someone who was handed a few first-team appearances when he was 16 years old but that did not convince him to remain at Celtic. Instead, he made the move to Liverpool.

Doak's start to life at Liverpool has been slow as one would have expected. Since joining in 2022, he has made 10 appearances for the club and currently finds himself out on loan in the Championship with Middlesbrough.

Liverpool player explains why he decided to leave Celtic

Thus, many have questioned whether Doak should have stayed at Celtic for a few years, developed further and then made a move to the Premier League. The player himself has explained why he chose the path that he did. As reported by Liverpool.com, he said:

"I wasn’t really thinking about playing with Scotland at that point (when Doak left Celtic for Liverpool).

"To be honest, I felt like that was the right move at the time to go down south and go and play and train at an elite level.

“Everyone knows how good the Liverpool squad has been and how they are doing currently. They’re top of the league, so I didn’t see any cons to going there."

It has been a few years since Doak left for Liverpool but one cannot forget that he is still just 18. Most players are just getting their first taste of senior level football at this point in their careers.

On the other hand, Doak has already played senior level football for both Celtic and Liverpool, and is currently on loan in the Championship. He also has a few appearances for the Scotland national team to his name. Let's see what the future holds.