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Liverpool is reportedly eyeing up a move for 15-year-old prodigy Dara Jikieme from Celtic, despite competition from Premier League rivals. Although Jikieme has yet to make his debut for Celtic's first team, his performances in the Under-18s squad have seemingly caught Liverpool's attention.
As per various sources, via the Daily Mail, all signs point towards Liverpool securing the young talent. Nottingham Forest is also rumored to be interested, so Arne Slot's team will need to act quickly to avoid disappointment.
Should Liverpool succeed in signing Jikieme, who celebrates his 16th birthday in January, he would join the club's academy next year. Importantly, Liverpool isn't going into this deal blind, with a track record of recruiting young players from Celtic.
The Reds made a tidy profit on Scottish international Ben Gannon-Doak. The now 20-year-old joined Liverpool in 2022 at the tender age of 16.
Celtic were compensated with a £600,000 ($800,000) fee as Doak hadn't signed a professional contract with the Scottish heavyweights, reports the Liverpool Echo.
It was reported that Doak turned down a more lucrative offer from fellow Premier League side Leeds United to join Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool outfit.
The Scotsman only made a smattering of appearances for Liverpool before being loaned out to Middlesbrough. It was at the Riverside Stadium where Doak showcased his talent, validating Liverpool's investment - particularly given the substantial profit they would later make from his sale.
Following his spell with Boro, Liverpool offloaded Doak to Bournemouth in a deal valued at £20 million ($27M) plus an additional £5M ($7M) in potential add-ons. While this was a savvy move by Liverpool, it's Doak's ascent to Premier League status that the Reds will be aiming to emulate with Jikieme.
The Scottish international reportedly sat out national youth duty in anticipation of his transfer to Liverpool, with terms believed to have been agreed between both parties.
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Even at his tender age, Jikieme has demonstrated maturity and leadership, having captained Scotland's Under-15s side. Similar to Doak, Celtic would receive training compensation if the young player departs, as he is a product of its academy.
Ideally, the Scottish heavyweights would prefer to sign these prodigies professionally, allow them to gain experience in the Scottish Premiership, and then sell them on for a higher fee.
However, the opportunity to rise through the ranks of Liverpool's esteemed academy and potentially become a club legend - much like Steven Gerrard, Robbie Fowler, Ian Callaghan and many others - is likely too tempting to pass up.
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