Celtic, the Scottish champions, have maintained their sheer supremacy over the past decade in the domestic circuit. They are steadily approaching towards their ‘nine in a row’ mission but, at the same time, providing a pathway for young talents to develop and flourish in the senior setup.
The Hoops are hailed for their esteemed academy ranks and a superactive scouting network. But they have often been raided due to a lack of financial firepower, and according to The Scottish Sun, another highly-rated teenager is tipped to part ways amid interest from Bayern Munich.
The Bavarians roped in Liam Morrison from Celtic a year ago and are now set to secure the services of their 16-year-old wide attacker Barry Hepburn. The teenager is the Bhoys’ youth product and has earned attention for his composure in the attacking third. His versatility has helped him settle in Celtic’s U18 side as well as the Scotland U17s which led to Bayern’s interest.
An Offer Too Good To Turn Down
While the player is not yet eligible to sign a professional deal, the Hoops might eventually lose him for nothing. They are desperate to keep hold of him beyond this summer, but the player is inclined to head overseas. He turned down the opportunity to stay and flourish at Paradise.
Morrison, 17, a regular for the FCB Under-17s and has featured 14 times this term in deep defensive line under the tutelage of iconic Miroslav Klose. The former German international would prefer Hepburn high up the pitch, and the youngster, too, is understandably excited to enjoy the ride at such an early stage of his career.
A Blow For Celtic In The Long Run
Celtic, meanwhile, have produced exciting wing-forwards over the years. James Forrest remains an asset for the senior side whereas 21-year-old Mikey Johnston has already grabbed a key status despite injury nightmares. Karamoko Dembele, 17, is next in line to start on the flanks and Hepburn, considering his talent and rapid rise, could have made it to Neil Lennon’s plans within the next couple of years.
The Hoops are already having a crisis down the flanks with Scott Sinclair and Lewis Morgan both leaving in the winter to earn minutes elsewhere. Marian Shved remains an outcast whereas Mohamed Elyounoussi would return to his parent club Southampton following a one-year loan at Parkhead once the season is officially over.
The post-pandemic football would hit a monetary crisis, and the clubs in Scotland might bank on the youth rather than pursuing big-money transfers until the situation gets better in the upcoming years. This could have stepped up Hepburn’s first-team debut, but an offer from Bayern is indeed too good to ignore for any aspiring footballer.
