Celtic ‘release trio of youngsters' including starlet who scored stunning backheel in Scottish Youth Cup final v Rangers
It's been a particularly difficult week for one youngster
IT'S a brutal time of year for young players across the country.
And that includes Celtic and Rangers, where the odds of making the first team are stacked against young players.
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Lewis Dobbie's backheel made it 6-4 to Celtic
Credit: Kenny Ramsay
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Dobbie celebrates his strike
Credit: Kenny Ramsay
And it's being reported that the Hoops are kicking off their reworking of the youth ranks by releasing a trio of young stars.
The Daily Record reports that youth players Joe Morrison, Alasdair Davidson and Lewis Dobbie will all be moving on from the Parkhead youth ranks when their contracts expire at the end of the season.
Goalkeeper Morrison, who made it onto the Celtic bench on a handful at times during the 2023/24 Champions League campaign, turns 21 next month.
He's spent a chunk of the season on-loan at Stenhousemuir, but has been kept on the bench behind Darren Jamieson.
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Morrison is joined going out the exit door by left back Alasdair Davidson, 18, who made nine appearances in the Lowland League for Celtic B this season.
Forward Lewis Dobbie also moves on, with his most memorable moment coming during the 6-5 Scottish Youth Cup win over Rangers in May 2023.
He scored an incredible back-heeled effort as the young Hoops won the cup - but it was an altogether different experience for the 19-year-old this week as his failure to convert a penalty in the shoot-out handed Rangers the trophy.
He also has a goal against Feyenoord on his resume and a double in a 3-1 Premier League International Cup victory over Southampton.
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Celtic, meanwhile, are in the money this morning after announcing details of a bumper new and improved kit deal with Adidas.
The Hoops initially signed up with the famous German sporting fashion brand at the start of the 2020-21 season.
Moment Celtic players and fans celebrate as Hoops clinch fourth successive title
That bumper five-year sponsorship was trumpeted as the "biggest kit sponsorship ever to be announced in Scottish sport" but it had been set to expire at the end of this campaign.
We told you back in October, though, how both parties were thrilled with the success of their kit sales and brand recognition and were keen to extend the arrangement.
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And this morning confirmation has come of a fresh arrangement which SunSport understands will comfortably outstrip the previous numbers - and will last significantly LONGER than the next five years.
Keep up to date with ALL the latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football page
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