Scottish giants Celtic are monitoring the progress of young Gillingham goalkeeper Joe Walsh says a report from the Evening Times.
The Hoops are not alone in their chase for the 17-year-old young star as some European giants in Tottenham, Manchester City and RB Leipzig are also interested in Walsh. Premier League side Everton are also said to be keen, as per the report.
Despite being of tender age, Walsh is supposedly very close to the first-team for Gills and recently signed his first professional contract with the club.
One of the best youngsters at Gillingham
Despite being just 17 currently, Walsh has already played in the EFL Trophy for the club while playing with the first-team, he hasn’t exactly broken into the senior side in the League One. In the EFL Trophy, he has featured in the games against Ipswich and Tottenham Under-23s.
He impressed against Spurs’ Under-23s side, helping his side keep a clean sheet in a 2-0 win in the group stage clash of the competition.
In League One, Walsh has been on the bench as many as 15 times in the league. He has not made an appearance yet and was not among the substitutes in games against Oxford and Rotherham.
Even in the club’s FA Cup and League Cup games, Walsh has played second choice to the club senior side stopper Jack Bonham.
TIF Tactics
The fact that the youngster’s signature is being pursued by some huge clubs shows that there is potential in the player to succeed. It isn’t every day that one can see a 17-year-old be a club’s second-choice goalkeeper in any competition in England.
As things stand, Celtic have as many as three goalkeeping options. Fraser Forster was signed on loan from Southampton this past summer and the Englishman has played ten times in the Scottish Premiership since arriving.
27-year-old Scott Bain signed a new deal at Celtic Park recently and that is a clear sign that the club sees a future for the player in Glasgow. Craig Gordon is the third-choice stopper and reports have stated that he could be looking to hang up his boots soon, whilst Conor Hazard also waits in the wings for his chance.
The third-choice position will be open if Gordon leaves. And if Celtic do make a move for Walsh, the youngster could take up that position. Indeed, being 17, he can play for the Reserves side or maybe even get some first-team experience in loan deals away from Neil Lennon’s side in the future.