Liverpool are eyeing up a move for 15-year-old prodigy Dara Jikiemi from Celtic. However, the Reds face competition from their Premier League rivals.

Jikiemi has yet to make his debut for Celtic's first team, but his performances in the Under-18s squad have seemingly caught their attention. According to various sources, as reported by The Mail, all signs point towards Liverpool securing the young talent. Nottingham Forest are another club credited with interest.

Arne Slot's side will need to act quickly to avoid disappointment. Succeeding in signing Jikiemi, who turns 16 in January, would see the teenager join their academy next year.

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The Reds are no strangers to recruiting young talent from Celtic. They made a tidy profit on Scottish international Ben Gannon-Doak.

The now-20-year-old joined them in 2022 at the age of 16. Celtic received a £600,000 compensation fee because Doak had not signed a professional contract with the Scottish club.

Doak reportedly turned down a more lucrative offer from fellow Premier League side Leeds United to join the Jurgen Klopp-led team. The Scotsman only made a few appearances for them before being loaned out to Middlesbrough.

It was at the Riverside Stadium where Doak showcased his talent. There, he began validating their £600k investment - particularly given the substantial profit they would later make from his sale.

Following his spell with Boro, they sold Doak to Bournemouth in a deal worth £20m plus an additional £5m in potential add-ons. While this was a savvy move by Liverpool, it's Doak's ascent to Premier League level that the Reds will be hoping to emulate with Jikiemi.

The Scottish international was reportedly excused from national youth duty to facilitate his move to Liverpool, with terms believed to be agreed between both parties.

Even at his tender age, Jikiemi has demonstrated maturity and leadership, having captained Scotland's Under-15s side. As with Doak, Celtic would receive training compensation if the youngster departs, as he is a product of their academy.

Ideally, the Scottish giants would prefer to sign these prodigies professionally, allow them to gain experience in the Scottish Premiership, and then sell them for a higher fee.

However, the opportunity to rise through the ranks of Liverpool's esteemed academy and potentially become a club legend - much like Steven Gerrard, Robbie Fowler, Ian Callaghan and many others - is likely too tempting to pass up.

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