Celtic have entered the race to sign 18-year-old defender Luke Graham.
As reported by The Courier, the teenager arrived at Sheffield United on a trial basis earlier this week after playing for Scottish team Lochee United last weekend where his side won 6-0 over Letham.
There were a number of scouts from big teams at the game including Arsenal, Celtic, and rivals Rangers. It has been rumoured his physique and his ball-playing ability from the back have caught the attention of the highly-rated clubs.
While Graham has not found any luck with the Dundee first team, he should think carefully about where to sign next and if that club would give him a fair chance to cement himself in their squad.
TIF looked into why Celtic would be a good destination for the teenager…
Postecoglou uses young talent
Since the arrival of Ange Postecoglou in Scotland, the manager has added a number of young players to the first-team squad who have received a lot of minutes, something Graham will surely be desperate for as he develops.
Most notably, Liel Abada, who arrived from Israeli Maccabi Petah Tikva last July, has enjoyed a lot of minutes under the Celtic boss, racking up an impressive nine goals and seven assists in 31 appearances in the Scottish Premiership (Transfermarkt). Fellow winger Jota, on loan from Benfica, has also featured significantly for the Hoops with 33 appearances across all competitions, notching 10 goals and recording 10 assists to his name.
Scottish midfielder David Turnbull has also featured heavily under Postecoglou with 36 appearances, with nine goals and six assists across all competitions.
With this in mind, there is no reason why Graham couldn’t stake a first-team claim if he is deemed good enough.
Competition leaving
Another big pull for the youngster could be that several players in his position are set to leave in the summer, freeing up places and time for him to assert himself as a starter for the club.
Young defender Stephen Welsh could be on his way out of the club due to lack of game time and this would perfectly free up another space that Graham could instantly fill if he makes a move to play with the Bhoys. Welsh has also previously been linked with Italian side Udinese, who want the Scottish youngster either on loan or on a permanent transfer for around £1.6m.
Initially, Postecoglou denied their attempts as he wanted Welsh to stay and fight for his place in the first team, but seeing as that has not come to fruition, there could be a possibility the Italian outfit get their wishes in the summer.
Current starting centre-back Cameron Carter-Vickers is only on loan to the club from Tottenham Hotspur, and despite interest from the Scottish team to sign him permanently, there is no guarantee at this stage whether that will occur.
TIF Verdict…
Whichever team Graham decides to sign with, he has a bright future, but picking the right one could speed up that process. Celtic certainly looks like it could be one of the best places for him right now.