Celtic ‘agree’ £50k transfer for Scottish Championship youngster as contract signature imminent

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Celtic are reportedly set to make their second signing of the summer transfer window.

The Hoops have already signed Kieran Tierney on a free from Arsenal after his contract at the Emirates Stadium expired.

Celtic are also set to sign former Aberdeen goalkeeper Ross Doohan, although that one has not quite been rubber-stamped yet.

The Bhoys are in talks to sign FC Nordsjælland winger Benjamin Nygren, and it is thought £1.7m will be enough to secure the Swedish international.

However, the signing of a youngster from Greenock Morton appears to be imminent.

• READ MORE: Stephen McManus names three Celtic wonderkids who could be the next McGregor, Forrest and Tierney

Celtic set to sign Morton’s Isaac English for £50k

It is being reported by the Greenock Telegraph that Celtic are closing in on the signing of Morton starlet Isaac English.

The Hoops are said to have agreed a £50k deal with the Cappielow outfit for the promising young defender.

English is only 17 and will likely slot straight into Celtic B managed by former Parkhead defender Stephen McManus.

English was part of the successful Morton U18 side that lifted the Club Academy Scotland Performance League title last season.

Morton’s youth team also reached the CAS Cup final, but they were beaten 2-1 by the Ross County U18 squad.

English has just a year left on his contract at Morton, so the Scottish Championship club appear to be cashing in on the youngster before he would leave for nothing.

Stephen McManus on pathway from Celtic B to first-team

English will hopefully be a player who can develop successfully through the Celtic academy and break into the first-team in seasons to come.

Celtic B manager McManus outlined the importance of doing just that at a recent press conference promoting Celtic’s friendly with Newcastle United this summer.

He said: “It always remains the same. Our job is to try and develop young players to get them into our first team. It never changes. 

“For us, it’s not results that are paramount. They’re not the most important thing. That’s what the manager and the first team staff has. 

“Our job is to develop young players to try and get them ready for first team football. Hopefully it’s in our first team or it’s somebody else’s first team. That’s what we try and do.

“We try and bridge the gap. The biggest jump in our football club is between the first team and the B team. There’s absolutely no doubt.

“So our job is to try and develop the players. Again, we trust experiences that we’ve had the benefit. For us, we’ve been that young player.”