St. Mirren chief executive Tony Fitzpatrick has claimed that Lewis Morgan is ‘as good as anything at Celtic’ ahead of the talented youngster’s touted move to the Hoops in January.
Celtic are reportedly on the verge of signing the 21-year-old when the transfer window opens next month, and have beaten off heavy competition for the midfielder.
Fitzpatrick, a former St. Mirren midfielder himself, has spoken out about the touted move, and made some bold claims about the youngster ahead of the transfer.
Speaking to the Scottish Sun, he said: “Lewis Morgan is a really, really exciting talent, and in normal circumstances, he is a million-pound player. When you talk about wanting to be a top player, then he’s a very impressive young man, and when you speak to him and he’s got that plan in his head. That’s the difference with Lewis. Ability-wise, there is a reason you are going to Celtic Park, and in terms of ability, Lewis is as good as anything at Celtic if I’m being honest.”
This claim looks to be particularly bold when you consider that Morgan has spent most of his career in the Scottish Championship, with Celtic possessing players who have performed on the Premier League and European stage.
Fitzpatrick went on to reveal what sets Morgan apart from other young players, with the 21-year-old having dealt with several setbacks to his football career.
“But what you really need, and what lets down a lot of players who go to Celtic, is that mental toughness. Lewis has that. He has a real desire in his mind that he wants to be a top, top player, and nothing is going to stop him. He practices constantly, he lives his life properly off the park and he’s a very grounded boy. There’s something different about him, marrying that real desire with that mental strength.
“The kid has put up with a lot. You have to remember that he was discarded by Rangers. He was told he was too small to be a football player. Instead of buckling, he had that belief inside of him to say ‘no, they are wrong’. When we played against Celtic last season, I think Brendan Rodgers was wowed when he saw this kid running at people and his intensity in the game in shutting people down.
“If Celtic do sign him, they’ve got a top young player,” he said.
OPINION
There is no doubt that the Hoops will be recruiting a top player if their move for Morgan is completed in January, with the midfielder emerging as one of Scotland’s most exciting young talents. If reports are to be believed, then Celtic will be securing his services for a bargain price, and Fitzpatrick’s claim that Morgan is a million-pound player is probably not far off. There is also another factor that will sweeten the deal even further, and that is Rangers’ decision to cut Morgan from their academy in 2012. If Morgan goes on to reach his seemingly vast potential in green and white, that success will come at a large price for Rangers, who will curse the day they let the young starlet go.