Sources: Celtic ready to hijack PL giants bid to sign dazzling young attacker
By Wayne Veysey
Celtic are ready to hijack Tottenham's bid to sign Northern Ireland teenage sensation Charlie Allen, Football Insider has learned.
The Scottish giants are among the top-level clubs keeping close tabs on the attacking midfielder, 15, following his astonishing rise at Irish club Linfield.
A Celtic source has told Football Insider the club want to invite Allen to their training headquarters and make him an offer to move north rather than south of the border.
This comes after Football Insider revealed that Allen has headed to Tottenham to undergo a trial with a view to signing him.
Spurs have climbed into pole position for the signature of the rising star, who is also attracted interest from Liverpool, Manchester United, Manchester City and Leicester.
Celtic believe they can show Allen a clear pathway from their youth team set-up to their senior side, something that is not quite so obvious at the Premier League elite.
The teenager is on the radar of so many leading clubs as a result of the progress that has led to him being described by Linfield Academy director Glenn Ferguson as "one of the brightest prospects" he has seen.
Allen became Linfield's youngest-ever debutant when he made his first-team bow in their final game of last season at Coleraine in April.
The Irish club, who competed in Champions League qualifiers this month,are resigned to losing their prize asset in the near future given the offers that are expected to be submitted for him.