Celtic have completed the signings of three top youth prospects despite interest from England including Manchester United.
Daniel Church and Stephen Welsh have joined Jack Aitchison in signing three year deals with ESPN reporting in May about Manchester United’s interest in left-back Church.
The US based broadcaster claimed: “Manchester United are monitoring Celtic teenager Daniel Church as the club seek to overhaul their youth team, a source close to the player has told ESPN FC.
“Church, a 15-year-old defender who has represented Scotland at schoolboy level, is a leading light of the Bhoys’ under-17 team who lifted last month’s Glasgow Cup final by beating Rangers 4-0.
“United had been interested in teammate Jack Aitchison, a 16-year-old centre-forward who has recently been on the fringes of Ronny Deila’s first team, until the player signed a three-year contract last month.”
Delighted to sign my first professional contract for 3 years with Celtic, looking forward to it ????????? pic.twitter.com/u771UMXK40
— Daniel Church (@danchurch03) June 13, 2016
All three players, despite being eligible to play at u-16 level were regulars in Celtic’s u-17 side which won the Scottish title and Glasgow Cup with a 4-0 massacre of Sevco at Ibrox.
Welsh had a spell at right-back early in the season but excelled at sweeper from the turn of the year where he played alongside Wallace Duffy.
Aitchison enjoyed the rare feat of scoring for Celtic’s u-17 side, Development team and first team during a season which he started at school and included becoming the youngest scorer in the history of the club when he scored with his first touch in the 7-0 rout of Motherwell.
Welsh and Church are currently in Hungary playing in the Telki Cup for Scotland’s u-17 squad which also includes Celtic team-mates Robbie Deas, Kerr McInroy and Ewan Henderson. Yesterday Scotland lost 5-1 to Hungary.
CLICK HERE for transfer latest
CLICK HERE for the fishy 7-0 treble bet
CLICK HERE for four surprise successes against Barcelona.