Celtic have beaten the likes of Chelsea, Norwich and Fulham to the signing of Watford midfielder Bosun Lawal, according to reports in the Scottish media.
The 18-year-old had run down his contract at Vicarage Road but, due to cross-border rules, the Hoops will only have to pay £120,000 in compensation to secure his services.
Lawal has yet to make his senior debut. However, some eye-catching performances for the Hornets in last season’s FA Youth Cup attracted the attention of Premier League teams.
Chelsea are said to have made a last-ditch attempt to hijack Celtic’s move for the Irishman, but he had already made up his mind about moving to Lennoxtown.
Lawal has been mostly utilised as a central midfield player so far in his fledgling career, but his athleticism means he is equally capable of playing as a centre-half.
While the teenager is unlikely to become part of Ange Postecoglou’s first-team squad straight away, he is certainly one to look out for in the future.