By Pete O'Rourke, Transfer Correspondent

12th Mar, 2023 | 8:00am

Sources: Brighton in chase to sign Celtic talent Ronan Ferns

Brighton are interested in signing Celtic sensation Ronan Ferns, sources have told Football Insider.

The centre-back, 16, is regarded by the Glasgow giants as a hugely promising talent having come through the ranks at the club.

Ferns, who can also play in midfield, has impressed for Celtic’s youth sides and Scotland’s Under-16s.

Brighton are among a number of clubs to have scouted the youngster and they are now keeping very close tabs on him going into the summer.

Ferns, who only turned 16 last month, could become the latest Celtic academy product to make the move south of the border.

Liverpool’s Ben Doak, Leeds United’s on-loan defender Leo Hjelde and West Ham’s Armstrong Oko-Flex all came through the ranks at Celtic before departing for the Premier League.

The most successful Hoops scholar in recent years is Kieran Tierney, who has racked up 81 top-flight appearances for Arsenal since sealing a reported £25million move from Parkhead in 2019.

Ferns is not the only Celtic youngster in danger of being poached by an English side.

Football Insider revealed last month (22 February) that Leeds and Aston Villa are plotting moves to sign 15-year-old sensation Aidan Borland – who is regarded as one of the best young prospects to emerge in recent years.

Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou has spoken this season about his desire to form a “conveyor belt” of talent between the club’s youth squad and the first team.

The 57-year-old has helped to reshape the club’s academy with new coaches.

High-flying Brighton have established themselves as a hotbed of young talent since their promotion to the Premier League in 2017.

Exciting striker talent Evan Ferguson is the latest graduate of their academy to make the grade in England’s top flight.

In other news, Football Insider updates with Celtic plotting three more headline signings after deal agreed.