Celtic starlet leaves due to ‘desire for first team football' as European club snap him up on cut-price transfer fee
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IT's hard enough to break into the first team of any Scottish Premiership side - let alone Celtic and Rangers.
More evidence of that has played out this week, with the Parkhead club set to lose a highly-rated youngster for a cut-price fee due to the player wanting regular football, reports claim.
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Matthew Anderson in action for Scotland Under-21s
Credit: Willie Vass
Matthew Anderson joined the Celtic academy setup from Motherwell at the age of 13 and signed his first professional contract with the club in 2020 at the age of 16.
But now 21, Anderson is yet to make his mark on the senior squad and has had to spend time out on loan to gain minutes on the pitch.
However, on his return he would have been hoping to push for a place in Brendan Rodgers' thoughts.
But it seems he isn't int he manager's plans and now, according to the Glasgow Times, he will sign for Belgian second division outfit KV Kortrijk.
Two years ago, Anderson was loaned out to one of Celtic's feeder clubs, Admira Wacker of Austria.
He's remained there since and racked up a healthy number of minutes in the second tier of Austrian football.
He made 21 appearances in 2023/24, playing at left-back or left-midfield.
And the Hoops kid played 22 league games this past season as the team challenged for promotion, more often than not playing wide on the left of midfield.
He had originally came through the ranks as a defender and was given shirt number 63, the same digits worn by Kieran Tierney.
But it's said the Scotland youth international has a desire for that first team football to continue and doesn't think he'll get that at Celtic, hence the decision to move on.
The diggers move in as Celtic Park pitch is dug up
It's reported that Anderson has signed a three-year deal with the ambitious Belgians, who are owned by Cardiff City chief Vincent Tan and are targeting a quick return to the top flight after being relegated last season.
Stephen McManus, Anderson's coach when he was with the B team, previously predicted a bright future in football for the youngster.
McManus, who is now a first team coach with the Hoops, said earlier this month in an interview with the Daily Record: "He's got a massive future in the game, absolutely massive.
"He's a terrific boy with a brilliant family, and again, you can only stay with us, with the B team, for a couple of seasons.
"Matthew outgrew the B team two years ago. That's why he's not played for the B team.
"That's why the next stage of his development was to go out and loan."
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