Celtic line up talks with exciting youngster; Rodgers is a big fan

Celtic are set to open contract talks with talented Bhoys youngster Daniel Kelly over the coming weeks as teams from the continent show interest in his potential.

Kelly made his senior debut for the Bhoys against Buckie Thistle back in January and followed that up with a strong 45-minute display in the Scottish Premiership against Dundee on Wednesday night.

He got himself on the scoresheet in the 7-1 thrashing to kickstart his Celtic career and now the club are ready to tie him down to a long-term contract.

The Scottish Daily Mail reports that his representatives have already been contacted to schedule negotiations. He shares the same agents as former Celtic star Jeremie Frimpong.

It’s reported that Bundesliga outfits Bayer Leverkusen and RB Leipzig are already showing interest in Kelly, whose contract expires at the end of 2024.

That means he would be free to discuss a pre-contract as early as this summer, so it’s imperative that Celtic conclude any contract talks quickly.

Celtic boss is a big fan of Daniel Kelly

It comes as Brendan Rodgers has been talking up Kelly’s potential and work ethic this season, in the wake of his first league outing.

The Celtic boss said [Scottish Daily Mail]: “He’s a young player that I’ve loved working with since I came back. He came with us on pre-season to Portugal and he has this incredible attitude. He’s 18 years of age and you can see physically how developed he is – his power, his speed, his touch.

“He is only going to get better and part of the idea and strategy here is to allow these young players to come in and develop. The squad is so big that sometimes the younger players get left to the side.

“He’s an example that, when there is room for them to come in and train with you, you’ll see the rewards from that.”

Clearly, Rodgers will be hoping that the club can come to an agreement with the player on terms. It’s crucial that Celtic start to bolster the first-team group with capable talents.

Some fans have become frustrated in recent years that the club have failed to hold onto several talents that have subsequently moved on to big clubs around Europe.

Let’s hope that Kelly isn’t the next one.

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