Celtic hand out three Professional contracts

Celtic have three teenagers up onto Professional contracts for the season ahead. 

Competition for players at this stage is fierce with Ben Doak turning down a contract from Celtic to join Liverpool despite making two first team appearances shortly after turning 16. 

This afternoon The Express reported: 

Mitchell Frame, Daniel Cummings and Josh Dede have all signed new deals at Celtic this week. 

Left-back Frame has penned his first professional contract along with Scotland’s Victory Shield striker Cummings. 

The highly-rated 16-year-olds have came through the ranks at Lennoxtown and had interest from down south but both decided to remain at the Scottish champions. 

They will go into Chris McCart’s under-18 squad for the new season. Josh Dede was also in at Celtic Park this week to sign his new deal. The right-bank agreed his deal back in March. 

McCart is the Head of Celtic’s Academy with specific coaches allocated to each age group, Stuart McLaren is in charge of the u-18 side.

Frame, Cummings and Dede can look forward to the contrasting challenges of the Lowland League and UEFA Youth League in the season ahead which can see matches against Cumbernauld Colts and Caledonian Braves coming back-to-back with fixtures against Real Madrid or Paris Saint Germain. 

Bridging the gap from Academy to first team football is probably one of the toughest challenges in the game with Celtic struggling to supply players ready for top team action. 

Tony Ralston completed a roundabout route last season but Kieran Tierney was the last player to come through the ranks and nail down a first team place.