The scoring exploits of Daniel Cummings have stretched all the way to Fabrizio Romano.
The young Celtic striker has been prolific in the Lowland League and UEFA Youth League this season but is now at the stage where he can sign a pre-contract agreement with another club.
Celtic will receive a compensation fee for developing the young striker but losing another teenager before they’ve had a chance to impress will be a bitter blow.
Cummings was an unused substitute at Saturday’s 4-1 win away to Ross County but with Nicolas Kuhn and Luis Palma available again the young striker dropped out of the squad that drew 3-3 at Dundee.
? West Ham and Brighton are both keen on signing 18 year old Celtic striker Daniel Cummings, with Celtic pushing for him to stay and sign new deal.
24 goals in 24 games this season for Cummings, out of contract in summer 2025. pic.twitter.com/mobdDdtTTj
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) January 15, 2025
From Ben Doak and Liam Morrison through various others Celtic have been losing young talent to English clubs before they have completed 90 minutes in first team football.
For a variety of reasons the flow of young players into the first team has dried up with Kieran Tierney in 2015 the last Academy player to breakthrough and become a regular pick.
UEFA regulations require four Academy trained players to be included in all squads with that issue becoming more of a problem with Callum McGregor, James Forrest, Tony Ralston and Stephen Welsh meeting that criteria this season.
FFS, what are we doing at Celtic. Kenny had great reports from Shamrock Rovers and has had a few minutes. Cummings has scored a shitload of goals and has hardly been looked at yet Brighton and West Ham see something? Just WTF?
Given the huge number of expensive flops brought in under Lawwell’s many guises, here’s an alternative idea.
Give both Daniel and Jonny well-paid, short term contracts, say an extension of a year, at let’s say 10-15k per week at least. It’ll give us time, at very low cost, to determine if they’re ‘keepers’ or otherwise. A total cost of maybe £2 million max. Adam Idah, due to the liability that Peter Thomas Lawwell is, cost us around £9 mill and currently isn’t due a start before either of these. Of course, I hope all 3 turn out to be terrific players for Celtic but for now it’s difficult to see that.