Celtic close on English wonderkid after completing Wednesday medical – report
By Danny Wright
Celtic are close to completing a deal to sign Ipswich wonderkid Kundai Benyu, according to a report.
News outlet HITC claims that sources close to the Scottish treble winners have told them that the 19-year-old completed a medical with the Hoops on Wednesday and is set to sign a contract on Thursday.
It is understood that Ipswich wanted to keep hold of their highly-rated English teenager, but he has instead chosen to move north of the border and will now become Brendan Rodgers’ second signing of the summer after Jonny Hayes was snapped up from Aberdeen in mid-June.
HITC reports that the English Championship outfit will be due compensation in the Benyu deal as he will move to Parkhead following the expiration of his contract at Portman Road.
Any English player under the age of 24 cannot move freely from club-to-club without a fee being settled at a tribunal. However it is believed that the fee will be relatively low for Celtic as he will be moving to a different nation.
Benyu spent last season at National League side Aldershot, where he made 23 appearances and scored five goals as he helped them reach the play-off spots.
He failed to make a senior appearance during his time at Ipswich.
Football Insider Verdict
Benyu looks like he has the ability to become a handy midfielder but just one season’s worth of experience in the English non-league could come back to bite Celtic. The Hoops have a very good academy of their own and it’s probably better to try to develop their own youngsters. However if the right player comes along then it’s certainly fair to try and snap up an extra face or two. Benyu just doesn’t seem like he’d be able to add anything extra to the Bhoys’ development side. At the age of 19, you’d expect him to have picked up a bit of game time in the Football League – but right now that is something that he worryingly lacks.
In other Celtic news, the Hoops have told this 25-year-old that he can leave Parkhead.
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