Every summer, there is a fear that Premier League clubs could come calling and convince important Celtic players to leave the club. We have seen that happen on a consistent basis over the years. Many have done well at Parkhead, only to head to the English top flight at the end of the campaign. Some great recent examples are Matt O'Riley, Kris Ajer, Odsonne Edouard and others.
That is not expected to change anytime soon, considering the gap that exists between the Premiership and Premier League. Keep an eye out on Celtic players who might head to England this summer.
The likes of Nicolas Kuhn, Cameron Carter-Vickers, Reo Hatate and Daizen Maeda have all been linked with moves to the Premier League lately. But now, it looks like the name of a rising player is in that mix as well.
As reported by Football Insider, Nottingham Forest are plotting a move for Dara Jikiemi. The centre-back has captained Scotland at youth international level.
Nottingham Forest plotting move for Celtic defender
Nottingham Forest are currently sitting at third in the Premier League right now. That is a remarkable rise for a team that had barely avoided relegation the last time around, finishing in 17th. So, it is safe to say that things are going well for the club right now and the players, coaching staff and everybody else involved deserve a ton of credit. Let's see what the future holds for them.
Will Jikiemi end up joining Nottingham Forest in the near future? We shall find out soon. But that is an option that is present to him. Many Celtic youngsters have chosen to leave the club early in their careers rather than trying to make it at Parkhead.
Ben Doak went to Liverpool, Rocco Vata joined Watford, Daniel Kelly signed with Millwall and while Daniel Cummings has not left yet, he is expected to do so in the summer. Is Jikiemi the next name on that quickly growing list?
When it comes to Celtic, this is a situation that they need to work on. The club cannot keep seeing its best youngsters leave on a consistent basis. But then, that would mean giving chances to them and establishing a few in the senior team setup. It has been years since they have successfully done that.
Kieran Tierney was the last one to come out of the Celtic academy setup and become a regular starter. Is this because there has been a lack of quality talent since then? Or is it because the managers have not been willing to give chances to youngsters because they are under pressure to win every game?