Celtic lead the race to sign a “terrific talent” who’s the next Adam Idah

Honest to say, Celtic’s Tuesday night time go to to Dens Park was much more eventful than anybody may’ve forecast.

When Celtic midfielder Luke McCowan headed residence the opener towards his former membership inside 5 minutes, most assumed the champions would cruise to a snug victory within the Metropolis of Discovery.

Nevertheless, Dundee hit again not as soon as, not twice however 3 times, Cameron Carter-Vickers the scorer of an unlucky personal aim mere seconds after Yang Hyun-jun had nodded the Hoops in entrance, the guests thereby requiring a 93rd minute Arne Engels spot-kick to salvage a draw.

Brendan Rodgers was clearly fuming at full time, however the two factors dropped has little tangible consequence, with Celtic now 16 factors clear on the prime of the Scottish Premiership, forward of Rangers’ conflict with Aberdeen on Wednesday night time.

When requested for an replace about January transfers post-game by Sky Sports’ Luke Shanley, Rodgers stated “nothing as of but, I am going to in all probability discover out over the following couple of days”, so may the Celts’ first signing of the window be imminent?

Celtic chasing a highly-rated teenager

As first reported by Mark McCadden of the Irish Mirror, Celtic are “main the race” to signal St Patrick’s Athletic striker Mason Melia.

This got here after Melia visited Glasgow final week for talks, having accepted the same invitation from Tottenham earlier than Christmas, whereas Serie A aspect Bologna are additionally talked about as “keen” to signal him, with additional curiosity from Bundesliga and Belgian golf equipment.

So who’s Melia, and why is he so wanted?

Mason Melia’s file at youth degree

Nonetheless solely 17-years-old, he is made 54 appearances for League of Eire aspect St Pat’s, scoring ten objectives, serving to the Pink Military end third final season.

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Again in November 2023, he got here off the bench as St Patrick’s Athletic beat fierce Dublin rivals Bohemians 3-1 within the FAI Cup Remaining.

The match was performed in entrance of 43,881 supporters on the Aviva Stadium, a record-breaking attendance for an Irish cup remaining, with Melia changing into the youngest-ever player to function in a FAI Cup Remaining, doing so on the age of simply 16 years and 50 days.

Journalist Conor McEvoy described Melia as a “terrific expertise”, with Mark Gallagher of Extra Ireland believing he’s valued at €1m (round £835,000), which would smash the League of Eire file, presently held by Liam Scales, who joined Celtic for €600,000 from Shamrock Rovers in 2021.

As famous by Football Insider, as a consequence of Brexit laws, Melia can not be part of a British membership till after his 18th birthday, that means no transfer will happen till January 2026 on the earliest, however that doesn’t imply Celtic, or anybody else for that matter, can not agree a deal now.

How Mason Melia would slot in at Celtic

Ought to {the teenager} select to make the transfer to Parkhead, he would face powerful competitors for a beginning spot from fellow strikers Kyōgo Furuhashi and Adam Idah.

Idah turned an on the spot Celtic hero by scoring a Ninetieth-minute winner towards Rangers in final season’s Scottish Cup Remaining, however has not lived as much as these lofty expectations since his transfer from Norwich was made everlasting, on the enormous cost of £9.5m.

He got here in for scathing criticism from Sky Sports pundits Kris Boyd, Neil Lennon and James McFadden after Tuesday’s sport, with Boyd saying “he would not appear to be the identical participant” as final season, including “he must do extra”.

So, maybe there can be room within the squad for Meila to make an impression?

No matter present kind, Idah, in addition to the aforementioned Scales, are merely the most recent in a protracted line of Irish Celtic gamers, 22 have made a senior appearance to be actual, a few of whom are amongst the membership’s greatest legends.

Notable Irish gamers all through Celtic’s historical past
Participant	Years	Appearances	Targets	Trophies
Pat Bonner	1978–97	646	0	12
Patsy Gallacher	1911-25	464	192	13
Sean Fallon	1950–58	254	14	6
Aiden McGeady	2004-10	252	37	7
Anthony Stokes	2010-16	192	77	7
Charlie Gallagher	1958–68	171	32	6
Chris Morris	1987–92	160	8	3
Billy Cook dinner	1930-32	109	0	2
Tommy Coyne	1989-93	105	43	0
Mick McCarthy	1987-89	55	8	3
Roy Keane	2006	13	1	2
Robbie Keane	2010	19	16	0
Information courtesy of Transfermarkt

Some all-time legends are on this checklist, none extra so than Pat Bonner, only five players have made extra appearances than him within the membership’s complete historical past, whereas Roy Keane and Robbie Keane are on the different finish of the size as soccer greats, if not a lot when bedecked in inexperienced and white hoops.

So, if Melia does transfer to the Scottish champions, he’ll be following within the footsteps of loads of Irish legends… and Shane Duffy, however we do not point out him.