Manchester United vying to sign young Celtic midfielder; Arsenal, Chelsea, Spurs and Leicester also interested – reports

Manchester United are reportedly interested in signing Celtic academy star Daniel Kelly, according to reports. It is stated that United are at the centre of a five-way transfer battle for the Scottish teenager in an attempt to lure the talented player into England. As well as United, Arsenal, Chelsea, Leicester City and Tottenham Hotspur are interested.

The 15-year-old has been impressing this season with a series of scouts sent to watch the player from different clubs during different age levels. The Glasgow Times has stated that the player has represented Celtic from U15 level all the way to U18 level, which has seemingly been a good season for the young midfielder.

It is stated that United, Arsenal and Chelsea hold a serious interest in signing the player with Leicester and Spurs keeping tabs on him. Kelly is a box-to-box midfielder and Celtic seem to be desperate to keep the player at the club, not losing him for a nominal fee, which would be the case as he is not yet eligible to sign a professional contract at the club.

Last year, Celtic lost defender Liam Morrison for Bayern Munich last year and there is a growing risk that fellow academy star, Barry Hepburn could follow the player out of the club. To me, it would seem that youth players at Celtic are seeking better opportunities elsewhere, which is probably a good thing for them – more competitive football.

It has been reported by The Times that in a bid to attempt to keep Kelly at Celtic this summer, they have offered him terms on his first pre-professional contract, seemingly trying to offer him more money to sign on the dotted line to thwart attempts to get the player to leave. However, if he has fallen out of love with the club, it is likely that he will leave.

Kelly was one of the stand out players during the Sheffield Trophy, a tournament in which the Glasgow club came second-placed to Major League Soccer side Seattle Sounders. The 15-year-old is a student in the St Ninian’s High School programme – the same in which Arsenal fullback Kieran Tierney came through before moving to London.

It is also suggested that Celtic academy star Josh Adam could leave for Manchester City, which leave the club sweating on the future of three players in the academy this summer, after losing one for Bayern Munich last year, which could be seen as a mistake by the club. Whoever lands the player could have a star in the making.

As there are five Premier League teams vying for the player’s signature, well three with two keeping tabs on the situation, it is clear that the player has been scouted a number of times and has done well with three of the five clubs seemingly getting ready to make offers to the player and his family. United are always looking for talented youth players.

First team manager, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is a fan of youth players being promoted and more to the point directing the club to look for talented youth players from within the country. Because of Brexit, United will likely be impeded when seeking to sign players from the continent, meaning home nations players will be targeted instead.

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I support Manchester United, the greatest English football team to have ever existed. Bruno Fernandes is the latest in a long line of players with great ability to play for the club. I idolised Bryan Robson, David Beckham, Paul Scholes, and Eric Cantona growing up.