Celtic youngster Tobi Oluwayemi has been called up to the England U19s squad for the forthcoming Young Lions Training Camp. The 18-year-old goalkeeper is highly rated at Lennoxtown and is tipped to be a first team contender in a few years, something that will likely attract him to Celtic.
The ‘keeper joined from Tottenham Hotspur’s Academy, opting to move to Glasgow to continue his preparations. The promising news is that the English scouts are watching Scottish talent, which will likely allow Celtic to boost their draw to joining the Academy, offering a pathway to English football with examples of Kieran Tierney, Virgil Van Dijk and Victor Wanyama all of which arrived at Celtic in different stages and left for England.
Brexit means that English clubs will need to look closer to home and may result in them hoovering up any talent that they spot. This congested market will allow for Celtic to spy and poach those that will not settle to be loan fodder and provide them the platform to play regular first team football and European football (if applicable). Jeremie Frimpong is the best example of this.
There is no rush for players to go to England, which is ultimately what Celtic should be telling Armstrong Oko-Flex and Karamoko Dembele, two players that have been heavily linked with moves away. Liam Hughes left for Liverpool but the likelihood of any appearance in between the sticks at Anfield would be farfetched indeed.
Celtic therefore should be (under the new DOF) working their way about the English system, boasting the unique pathway that Celtic can offer and capturing the imagination of young players. Celtic have so much to offer, the untapped potential at the club is endless. So with Eddie Howe likely to be coming in, there should be a focus on taking the Frimpongs of Man City, Liverpool, Man Utd and any of the English clubs that cannot offer a proper pathway to first team football for their starlets.