Celtic fans have taken to Twitter to express their delight after the club signed goalkeeper Liam Hughes from Irish top-flight club Dungannon Swifts.
The club revealed on their official academy Twitter account on Tuesday night that they have signed the 16-year-old from the Northern Ireland club.
The youngster only joined Dungannon last summer but has made such rapid progress that terms have been agreed for him to join the Scottish champions and link up with their academy star.
The youngster has already played in the first team of Dungannon Swifts, who are eighth in the Northern Ireland Premiership, and has also represented Northern Ireland at Under-17 level.
LIAM HUGHES
Academy Staff and players are delighted to welcome goalkeeper Liam on his recent signing from Dungannon Swifts.At 16 Liam has already played in Dungannon’s first team and represented N Ireland at U17 level. A great addition to our squad. ? pic.twitter.com/oGr3RYB3V1
— Celtic FC Academy (@CelticFCAcademy) February 20, 2018
He will be hoping to follow the progress of fellow Irishman Conor Hazard, who has been the club’s third choice keeper and is currently out on loan at Falkirk.
Fans have taken to twitter to hail the arrival of young keeper Hughes, who arrives in Glasgow with a sparkling reputation after his precocious development.
Hazard was signed to Celtic from Cliftonville in 2014 and has worked his way through the ranks to the point where he signed a four-year contract last September.
Celtic have a long history of making full use of the Irish market and luring top talents across the water. They will hope that highly rated Hughes can make the same progress as Hazard, who has been impressive since joining Celtic four years ago. It will not have escaped the notice of either keeper that there is a long-term vacancy in the Celtic first team, too, with Craig Gordon and Dorus De Vries both at the veteran stages of their careers.
Here is a selection of their messages on Twitter:
On you go son!!
— Michael (@MickMcL18) February 20, 2018
Congratulations Liam never In doubt always believed you were the best in the land well deserved
— Eamon Ferris (@eamon_ferris) February 20, 2018
Looks like another one for the republic thank god???
— jeremiah O' Donovan Rossa (@Michael05307363) February 21, 2018
Congratulations Liam. No doubt your family must be very proud of you – best wishes from all at St. Marys YCFC
— St.Mary's F.C. (@StMarysFC1) February 20, 2018
https://twitter.com/Stephen39930173/status/966157843425456134
What a talent ….???? goodluck Liam ?
— Andy coleman (@andycoleman8) February 21, 2018
Love how his da is in complete disbelief… ? pic.twitter.com/KA3fzA1XIX
— ? Gastro Celtic ? (@Gastro_Celtic) February 21, 2018
Congratulations Liam on joining the best club in the world. Best of Luck ??
— Jody Little (@JlittleJody) February 20, 2018