Celtic captain Callum McGregor hopes it will be one of many as he lifts his first trophy of the 2024/25 season after his penalty shootout victory over Rangers in the Carabao Cup final on Sunday .
After a 3-3 draw in regular time, the Hoops kept their cool in the penalty shootout and won 5-4, winning the game they were unable to secure last season.
Although Luke McCown is ineligible, there is not enough room in the matchday squad to give any academy player the experience of being with a title-winning team.
However, Brendan Rodgers has some promising young talent at B-team level, one of which is in-demand center Daniel Cummings.
Daniel Cummings’ goalscoring record for Celtic this season
The 17-year-old striker has performed well for the academy team this season and upon his return Scored 23 goals in 23 games in all competitions.
17 of those goals came in 16 Lowland League games, and he also scored six goals in six UEFA Youth League games, which speaks volumes about how ruthless this teenage prodigy can be in front of goal.
Despite his impressive performances, Sky Sports reporter Anthony Joseph recently claimed the club He was not given an extension His contract expires at the end of this season.
The reporter adds that Club Brugge, Bologna, Red Bull Salzburg and an unnamed Premier League side are all interested in snapping up the Scottish talent, with his future at Parkhead still up in the air.
Under preparation
Football FanCast’s In the Pipeline series aims to discover the best young players in world football.
With Cummings potentially on his way out, Rodgers could look to another B-team gem in Mitchel Frame to become the next superstar to come out of the academy.
Why Mitchell Frame could be the academy’s next poster boy
Unlike the Scotland centre-back, Flem has already made his mark First team debut And participate in the UEFA Champions League under the leadership of Rodgers in the 2023/24 season.
McGregor claimed the teenager A “better future” After his debut, he played last 15 minutes He won two of three games against Feyenoord last season and won the corner from which Gustav Lagerbjerg scored the winning goal.
It shows that Rodgers does see the youngster as a player of the future, as he is willing to trust him in the Champions League at the age of 17.
Frame is a regular for the B team this season; 1 goal and 2 assists He has made 24 appearances in all competitions and is currently a Scotland U19 international, showing that the teenage prodigy is still developing and pushing for a first-team spot.
Celtic’s youngest ever player (24/25) | ||
|---|---|---|
Premier League | age | Number of appearances |
Francis Terry | 18 | 1 |
Alex Valle | 20 | 6 |
Arne Engels | twenty one | 12 |
Odin Thiago Holm | twenty one | 3 |
Yang Xianjun | twenty two | 6 |
As can be seen from the table above, Rogers has not shown much trust in Celtic’s young players this season. No player under the age of 23 has played more than 12 league games, and Arne Engels is the only one. A player who has played more than 6 times.
This means that Flem has yet to establish himself in the first team and there is no need to panic as he is only 18 years old and still has plenty of time to develop and force his way into the team.
McGregor believes he has a bright future, and his Champions League debut, as well as his consistent playing time with the B team and the national youth team, show that he has the potential to step up and become the next youth star.
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