Celtic are reported to be close to signing Josh Clarke.
The 18-year-old has been playing in goals for Glenavon after signing a short term deal following his release from Bournemouth.
Clarke has played youth football for England, Ireland and Sweden with his Glentoran form earning him a call up to the full Northern Ireland squad although his international options remain open.
The Daily Record (6.39am) reports:
The Hoops want to land the former Bournemouth and Chelsea keeper ahead of strong interest from a number of top Premier League clubs.
The 18-year-old is tipped for big things and has been a regular in Ian Baraclough’s senior Northern Ireland squad this year.
Clarke is a free agent after signing a short-term deal with Glenavon at the end of last season to ease their goalkeeping headache.
He has been on Celtic’s radar for some time and they also scouted him regularly in his time playing in Northern Ireland’s top flight.
Clarke came through the ranks at Chelsea before he moved on to Bournemouth. He left the Cherries earlier this year and answered Glenavon’s SOS as a free agent in April.
The youngster has also had plenty of international experience. He has represented England, Sweden and Republic of Ireland at under-age level before gaining his first senior Northern Ireland call-up earlier this year, for the friendlies against Luxembourg and Hungary.
If Celtic can strike a deal then Clarke is likely to go into their B squad in the first instance. And he will have to battle it out with Tobi Oluwayemi and Joe Morrison for the gloves in their Lowland League matches.
If Clarke is signed it would seem likely that Oluwayemi goes out on loan, last season the Ebgland u-19 internationalist alternated with Ryan Mullen in the Lowland League squad. Mullen was released at the end of the season and has been linked with Sheffield United and Dunfermline.
Celtic currently have Conor Hazard out on loan at HJK Helsinki but at the age of 24 his future looks to be away from Celtic, similar to Ross Doohan who left for Tranmere in the summer.
Stewart Kerr was the last Celtic goalkeeper to come through the ranks and play regular first team football but the club needs to have a few prospects in the pipeline. Next month Celtic’s u-19 side will play in the UEFA Youth League against the first team’s Champions League opponents.
CLICK HERE for Clarke’s Transfermarkt profile.