22-goal Celtic ace in contract stalemate as EPL sides eye cut-price January transfer

Reports claim that Cummings is yet to be offered a new contract at Celtic Park despite his impressive start to the campaign with the Celtic B team, and has been strongly linked with a move away from the club with English Premier League sides Fulham, Wolves and Ipswich Town all credited with an interest in the free-scoring teenager.

The Scottish champions were able to tie-down highly-rated teenagers Francis Turley and Colby Donovan to new long-term deals earlier in the season after seeing some of their biggest young talents move on in the summer. Both Rocca Vata and Daniel Kelly departed to the EFL Championship and joined Watford and Millwall respectively after their Parkhead deals expired.

The situation surrounding Cummings is an intriguing one. The 18-year-old has been in excellent form this season and has bagged 17 goals in 14 appearances for Stephen McManus’ B Team in the Lowland League, with a further five goals coming in the UEFA Youth League.

“There’s so much involved in a young player getting an opportunity to play,” explained Celtic head coach Brendan Rodgers when asked about the forward’s chances of playing for the first team last month. “I would like to think that I’ve been a coach that all my career, I’ve put in young players. If you trace my career back as a manager, before (in) my 15 years as a youth development coach, I’ve played players at 16 years of age, 17, 18.

“It’s not just about scoring goals or performing, it’s your mentality, it’s your professionalism, it’s all these things alongside ability that is what gets you the opportunity, so that’s always something I’ll assess. I think in terms of Daniel’s output, his goals in his games, he’s done very well. Young players will always get a chance here and there’s always a number of factors why they can or can’t get a chance. If they’re good enough, they’ll get a chance.”

Despite his impressive scoring form and rumoured interest in England though, it reported that the teenage striker has yet to hold any discussion with Celtic over a contract extension, with the Daily Mail saying he “has yet to receive the offer of an extension to stay put and is free to speak to interested clubs from January 1st.”

The forward is also said to have caught the eye of several teams in the EFL Championship with promotion chasers Sunderland and Burnley also holding a strong interest in the Scotland under-19 international. While Cummings is not able to depart the club on a Bosman free transfer, he is expected to be available at a cut-price deal, with a cross-border compensation fee expected to earn the champions less than £500,000.