Celtic recall highly-rated youngster from Partick Thistle loan

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Celtic have been forced to recall one of their highest-rated youngsters from the Scottish Championship.

That’s after a lack of game time at Partick Thistle left the Hoops with no choice but to rethink the best club for him to spend the rest of the season.

Sean McArdle was given some first-team minutes by Brendan Rodgers towards the end of last season, impressing fans with his performances.

This earned him his move to Firhill, but after just six substitute appearances and zero starts, he is now on his way back to Celtic Park.

Thistle currently sit second in the Championship table, and also have fellow Hoops youngsters Ben McPherson and Josh Clarke on loan.

Who will be the next Celtic youngster to break into the first-team?

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Sean McArdle recalled by Celtic after Partick Thistle loan

18-year-old McArdle is a left-footed central midfielder, and appeared in post-split fixtures against Hibs and Aberdeen last season.

He is a Scotland U19 international, but hasn’t kicked a ball for the Jags since November 7th.

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And as a highly-rated youngster who was fast-tracked into the first team, he won’t be short on suitors for the second half of the season.

There’s no inkling that Clarke or McPherson will follow McArdle; both have been almost ever-present at Firhill in solid individual seasons.

Thistle are, of course, managed by former Hoops defender Mark Wilson, and the sided faces in a Premier Sports Cup tie earlier this season.

Thistle aren’t the only side with Celtic youngsters on loan – Scott Brown has Jude Bonnar and Kyle Ure on loan at Ayr United.

Down in League One, Mitchell Robertson is on loan at Inverness, with Caley Thistle currently sitting at the top of the league under former Celtic youth Scott Kellecher.

Stephen Welsh, Adam Montgomery and Tobi Oluwayemi are on loan in the Scottish Premiership.

Mark Wilson on Celtic youngster Sean McArdle

It may not have worked out for McArdle in Maryhill, but manager Wilson was certainly enthusiastic upon signing him a few months ago.

He told the Partick Thistle website: “Ben is going to be an excellent addition to our squad here at Thistle.

“He fits in perfectly with the ethos we have here because of the energy and effort that he puts into the game and, having come through at Celtic, he knows how to use the ball too.

“Like Josh Clarke, it’s not his first loan at this level so he’s got a good idea of what to expect from the Championship but at the same time he doesn’t think he knows everything and is keen to keep learning and developing.”