Liverpool to Sign Celtic’s Dara Jikiemi

Liverpool are finalising a deal to signal 15-year-old centre-back Dara Jikiemi from Celtic, beating a lot of golf equipment together with Nottingham Forest to the switch.

Jikiemi is but to interrupt by means of into Celtic’s first-team squad however is already enjoying three years above his age group as a part of their U18s.

That has seen him catch the attention of scouts from a bunch of golf equipment and spark a tussle for {the teenager}’s signature.

Based on a lot of sources together with the Mail‘s Lewis Steele, Liverpool are nearing a deal to deliver Jikiemi to Merseyside.

Forest are among the many different sides to have pursued a deal however Jikiemi, who will flip 16 in the beginning of January, is ready to hitch the Reds’ academy in 2026.

If the transfer goes by means of as anticipated he would comply with within the footsteps of Ben Gannon-Doak, who left Celtic for Liverpool in a switch value £600,000 in 2022.

By that time Gannon-Doak had already debuted for Celtic’s first staff however that ought to not downplay Jikiemi’s potential – notably as fewer dangers are usually taken when bringing centre-backs by means of.

Who’s Dara Jikiemi? Profile, place and the place he’d slot in

• Age: 15 (Born Jan 9, 2010)• Membership: Celtic• Place: Centre-back (can even play midfield)• Nationality: Scotland (U15s captain)

Jikiemi will virtually definitely start life at Liverpool as a part of Simon Wiles’ U18s, who already rely two current signings as common starters on the coronary heart of defence.

Lucas Clarke arrived from Man Metropolis this time final yr whereas Harvey Owen was introduced in from Wolves for £800,000 in 2023.

Prince Cisse, son of former Reds striker Djibril Cisse, has additionally been transformed to a centre-back this season however it’s clear Liverpool are concentrating on extra reinforcements within the position at youth stage.

An unnamed trialist took half in a current U21s pleasant, beginning alongside Amara Nallo in a 2-0 win over Salford Metropolis on the AXA Coaching Centre.

Liverpool’s academy switch newest

U21s head coach Rob Web page can rely Nallo, Wellity Fortunate, Carter Pinnington, Lucas Pitt and Emmanuel Airoboma as centre-back choices together with 24-year-old Rhys Williams, however that group is more likely to change in January.

Williams is due a transfer when the switch window opens whereas Nallo may very well be thought of for a mortgage and Fortunate has lately made the step as much as the fringes of the primary staff.

Left-back Luke Chambers is nearing a return from a long-term harm, whereas James Norris lately returned to the membership following the top of a season-long mortgage with Irish aspect Shelbourne.

Liverpool allowed midfielder Scofield Lonmeni to depart again in October, with the 17-year-old making the change to Studying.