SHOCK EXIT! Celtic Wonderkid ‘REJECTS’ Parkhead Deal as Two Key Reasons Behind Liverpool Move Revealed
Celtic have suffered a setback in their youth ranks after highly rated prospect Dara Jikiemi turned down a new contract at Parkhead and agreed to join Liverpool.
The 16-year-old defender is considered one of the most exciting young talents to emerge from Celtic’s academy in recent years. Despite the club’s efforts to keep him in Glasgow, the teenager has chosen to continue his development in England.
Jikiemi has already shown strong leadership qualities at a young age, even captaining the Scotland Under-15 side. His composure on the pitch and ability to organise teammates have made him stand out among players of his age group.
Leadership and versatility attract interest
However, it’s not only his leadership that has attracted attention from major clubs.
The youngster’s versatility has played a huge role in his growing reputation. Naturally a centre-back, Jikiemi has also featured in defensive midfield for Celtic’s youth teams this season — a trait that modern clubs value highly.
That mix of composure, leadership and tactical flexibility quickly put him on the radar of several English sides.
Nottingham Forest were among the clubs believed to be monitoring the situation, but as talks developed the choice eventually came down to two options: remain at Celtic and continue his pathway in Scotland, or move south to Merseyside with Liverpool.
Liverpool project proves decisive
In the end, Liverpool’s long-term vision proved too attractive to ignore.
The influence of sporting director Richard Hughes, along with the club’s reputation for developing young talent, reportedly helped convince the teenager that Anfield was the best step for his future.
According to TeamTalk: “Liverpool have won the race to sign highly-rated Celtic youngster Dara Jikiemi after convincing the teenage defender to make the move south of the border. The English champions have been working on a deal for the 16-year-old since the start of the year, identifying the versatile youngster as one of the brightest prospects in Celtic’s academy.
“Jikiemi, who is comfortable at centre-back but can also operate in midfield, has opted to reject Celtic’s offer of a three-year deal in favour of a switch to Anfield. Sources confirmed that the teenager has agreed to join Liverpool on a scholarship, with a professional contract lined up when he turns 17 next January.”
Not the first Celtic youngster to move south
For Celtic supporters, the move may bring back memories of previous academy players who chose to head south of the border in search of bigger opportunities.
One of the most notable examples is Ben Doak, who left Celtic for Liverpool in 2022. The winger continued his rise in English football and was later sold to Bournemouth for around £25 million last summer.
The Scotland international also helped his national team qualify for their first World Cup since 1998, providing the assist for Scott McTominay’s spectacular acrobatic strike against Denmark.
Another Scottish talent who followed a similar path was Calvin Ramsay. The former Aberdeen full-back joined Liverpool in June 2022 for a fee of around £4.2 million, which was a record sale for the club at the time.
Growing attention on Celtic’s academy
Jikiemi now becomes the latest Celtic academy player to move to England. Conall Glancy joined Tottenham Hotspur, Daniel Cummings moved to West Ham United, Aidan Borland signed for Aston Villa and Rory Mahady made the switch to Leeds United.
While losing such a promising youngster will be disappointing for Celtic, it also highlights the growing reputation of the club’s youth development system among some of Europe’s biggest teams.
Although Jikiemi’s departure is a blow for the Hoops today, the teenager’s move to Liverpool could prove to be the first step in what many believe will be a very bright future in the game.