Celtic Youngster Prepares For Move South

Derby County are closing in on their first capture of the summer, with a move agreed for Celtic youngster AJ Doyle, according to The Atheltic.

The 16-year-old is a hot prospect at Celtic Park but has yet to break into the first-team setup. The youngster has featured for Ireland’s younger age groups, turning out for their Under 15s in a development tournament in Croatia, but he looks set to continue his growth south of the border.

Derby have been trying to fish in Scottish waters for a while now; they were also linked with another prospect, Hearts youngster Rocco Friel, before he agreed a deal with Queens Park Rangers. They’ve also had some luck with Irish players, Eirin Cashin in particular, catching the eye last season, although he came through Derby’s academy and was born in Mansfield.

Interestingly, Doyle started his youth career as a goalkeeper, turning out for Newton Juniors before his move north of the border to Celtic. This transfer, and that of Friel, is a symptom of the EU rules around recruitment post-Brexit, which meant English clubs have been forced to scour Scotland and Northern Ireland for young talent.

After a two-year absence, the Rams earned promotion to the Championship in May, and Paul Warne has yet to make a fresh signing. They have captured Corey Blackett-Taylor on a permanent deal, but that was a pre-agreed transfer following on from a loan in the summer. They are thought to be chasing a number of other targets, more suited to first-team action. They’ve been linked with a move for Ben Osborn, as well as St Johnstone striker Adamah Sidibeh.

The Rams’ interest in Doyle perhaps raises more questions about the Scottish game than it does Derby’s transfer policy. As outlined by the Atheltic, only five academy products under the age of 21 played more than 1,000 SPFL minutes last season.

Site Opinion

There’s no doubt at all that this is one for the future. Little information is available on Doyle, and the news has only broken because of a piece outlining how young players from Scotland are crossing the border to continue their development.

From the player’s point of view, it seems odd to want to swap Parkhead for Pride Park. At 16, surely a club like Celtic can offer more European exposure at youth level. However, it highlights the difference between the SPFL and Championship – the latter is a more competitive league, and perhaps one where there’s more likelihood of exposure and climbing even higher.