Celtic youngster Ben Wylie has sealed a loan move to Ballymena United until the end of the season. The 18-year-old joined Celtic in 2018 but has yet to make a first team appearance – even if he has impressed for the youth sides in recent years.
✍🏻 | Welcome Ben Wylie
Ballymena United are absolutely delighted to announce the loan signing of local teenager Ben Wylie until the end of the season from Celtic.
More here 👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻https://t.co/1TBigLANHG pic.twitter.com/bKerJP0xLA
— Ballymena United FC (@BallymenaUnited) January 25, 2021
The midfielder could make his debut against Warrenpoint Town tonight after sealing the switch yesterday.
United boss David Jeffrey said: “He’s a Ballymena lad who started here and moved to Linfield before progressing to a professional move across to Celtic where he is highly valued by all their coaching staff. Through our contacts we were made aware that it may be possible for Ben to come home and spend some time here.
“There were other options available to him and plenty of interest in him but we said how we would look after him and develop his game further, it is well evidenced how we are prepared to give the young players an opportunity here, and he himself is an outstanding talent and to get someone of his ability is fantastic. He’s a superb young man and we are so pleased to have him.
We’re thankful to Chris McCart (Head of Celtic Youth Academy) and to Celtic and his agent Brian Adair for making this happen for Ben to come here and we trust that his time here will be mutually beneficial, that he will enjoy getting back into training and football and hopefully we as his home town can reap the benefits of that this season.”
The former Linfield player signed his first professional contract with Celtic and has a deal until December 2022. This means that he will be hoping that the move across The Irish Sea will give him adequate game time to prove his worth to Celtic for when his deal runs out.
Celtic supporters are awaiting the outcome of the internal review into the management of the side. It is widely expected that Neil Lennon will leave the club, such have been the nature of performances this season; however, the longer this goes on the more damage is being done to next season.