Celtic have a number of academy prospects at the club who are now starting to make a name for themselves and even now, are breaking into the first-team.
We’ve seen players like Rocco Vata, Daniel Kelly and Mitchel Frame all being given an opportunity as the Lennoxtown facility starts to show signs of becoming a conveyor belt of talent.
And it’s not before time. But even though we do have a good crop of youngsters coming through, that doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t cast the net to find some of the best talents available and there is one at Arsenal who could be a perfect understudy to Alistair Johnston.
Reuell Walters for Celtic?
The young versatile defender is highly rated at the north London club. He joined them from Tottenham Hotspur after Manchester United failed in their bid to sign him from The Gunners after an intervention from the Premier League because the Red Devils had already fulfilled their quota of signing youngsters. [The Athletic]
Fulham, Manchester City and West Ham United all held serious interest in Walters but he eventually signed for Arsenal in 2020.
He can play right back, centre back and also on the right side of an attacking midfield. [Arsenal Insider]
Walters has already impressed Arsenal’s Ukrainian international fullback Oleksandr Zinchenko this season after watching the youngster train with the Gunners’ first team.
Zinchenko said [Rio Ferdinand presents], “I like so much centre-back, Reuell. I think the qualities he has, he is aggressive.
“I swear to God, one time he pushed Gabriel Jesus in a shoulder-to-shoulder. It is not easy to push Gabriel because he is very strong and he was confident on the ball afterwards. He kept the ball well and passed. Wow.
“He impresses me I think the most.”
Although he is yet to make his first-team debut for Arsenal, Walters has made over 75 appearances for The Gunners youth teams.
In those, he has represented Arsenal in the UEFA Youth League where he captained the side five times as they lost four and drew once to the likes of PSV Eindhoven, Lens and Sevilla.
Predominantly a right-back, Walters has played as a centre-back 17 times and at left-back twice for the Arsenal u21s. He also has eight caps for England u18 and 19s combined.
Described as a ‘big prospect‘ by Mikel Arteta, Walters has been named in the Arsenal matchday squad on 20 occasions this season but has not yet got any minutes on the pitch. [Transfermarkt]
Out of contract in the summer, Walters would be available on a free transfer and looking at the qualities described here, he sounds like he could learn a lot from Celtic defender, Alistair Johnston, as the Canadian is also strong, aggressive and a good attacking right-sided fullback.