Celtic’s transfer business will be the sole focus of the fans this summer. Well, that and the four players going to Euro 2024.
As the build-up to the big tournament in Germany continues, the Celtic fans will be eager to see how Callum McGregor, Greg Taylor, Anthony Ralston and James Forrest fare against the best players Europe has to offer.
However, transfer business is always on the Celtic fans’ minds and they will be keen to see how Brendan Rodgers plans to spend the Champions League millions he is set to inherit for winning the league.
And as additions to the first-team are important, so are Celtic fringe players and Rodgers could save himself a bit of cash if he includes the following five Celtic B players in his first-team squad for next season.
Rocco Vata
Rocco Vata is one of the most talked about youngsters to ever come out of the Celtic Academy.
The Republic of Ireland u21 attacker has been the subject of much discussion over the last year or so due to his performances in the Lowland Leagues, his goalscoring and the fact his contract is set to expire at the end of this month.
The youngster has scored 23 goals in 34 Celtic B appearances and has tasted first-team football on six occasions. [Transfermarkt]
Appearing twice for Brendan Rodgers this season, Vata has been offered a new contract by the club but is yet to make a decision on his future.
If he accepts it, then the Celtic boss should look to include him in the first-team squad next season.
Daniel Kelly
Daniel Kelly is another youngster who has tasted first-team football at Celtic. The young midfielder also has six appearances all delivered by Brendan Rodgers last season.
Highly rated at Scotland u19 level, Kelly is also yet to decide on signing a new deal but is reportedly keen to extend his stay at Celtic.
With 30 appearances at Lowland League level, Kelly should now be exposed to the senior squad for the next stage of his development and next season would be the ideal opportunity to do that.
Bosun Lawal
Bosun Lawal is a Celtic youngster who has been getting raved about all season since his successful loan spell at Fleetwood Town.
Despite suffering relegation with the League One side, Lawal was one of the club’s best performers last season.
So much so that the fans were gutted to see him leave the club. Invited to the Republic of Ireland senior squad training this summer, it is clear Lawal is impressing all the right people outside of Celtic.
However, all that matters is what people inside Celtic think of the 21-year-old utility player. It seems that Lawal did impress Brendan Rodgers whilst on the pre-season tour of Japan last summer and at the age he is now, the youngster should be looking to make that next big step in his Celtic career.
Mitchel Frame
Mitchel Frame is another player who has been in and around the periphery of the Celtic first team. Handed his debut in the 2-1 Champions League win over Feyenoord last December, young Frame looked like wasn’t out of place as he performed well in his substitute appearance.
The left-back position at Celtic has been an issue for Brendan Rodgers since he returned to the club and with Alexandro Bernabei gone, the Celtic manager should be looking to blood in new talent.
The 18-year-old has been earning rave reviews during his time at the club and could be ready to make the jump into the full Celtic squad.
And whilst young Frame is quite a bit away from being a first-team regular, involving him at senior level will only help develop and aid his progress at the club after appearing for the B team 18 times so far in his short career.
Matthew Anderson
Matthew Anderson is another highly-rated prospect in the Celtic B team. Currently enjoying a loan spell in Austria with Admira Wacker, Anderson is set to return to the club this summer.
With 22 appearances for the Austrian Bundesliga 2 side, the young left-back was recently praised by Celtic’s Pathway Manager, Darren O’Dea, for his ‘brilliant‘ spell at the club.
Now 20 years old, like Bosun Lawal, young Anderson should now be looking to kick on his Celtic career and there is no better place than with the first team next season to learn under Greg Taylor who Anderson admits is a player he looks up to and tries to learn from.
The players listed are not experienced enough to be thrown right into the Celtic first team.
There is no doubt that if they are to progress at the club, training with the senior side and being more involved with Brendan Rodgers and first-team training can only benefit their development.
And that will further enhance Celtic’s chances of utilising the Academy that the club invest so heavily in.