Celtic miss out on highly-rated teenage target as Premier League move is agreed

Long-term Celtic target Michael Noonan has finally settled his future after agreeing a move to Nottingham Forest.

Shamrock Rovers confirmed on Wednesday that the highly-rated teenager has agreed a pre-contract with the Premier League club and will officially make the switch at the beginning of January.

It brings an end to a lengthy transfer saga involving Celtic and several major European clubs.

The Hoops have pursued Noonan across multiple transfer windows, having initially tried to sign him around 18 months ago when he left St Patrick’s Athletic.

Noonan rejected both Celtic and Manchester City at that stage, instead opting to join Shamrock Rovers and continue his development with regular first-team football in the League of Ireland.

Celtic maintained their interest and made several approaches over the following year.

The Hoops presented their project to Noonan in January, but the youngster instead opted for Hoffenheim. That proposed transfer subsequently collapsed after the German side and Rovers failed to agree a valuation.

Ajax then appeared to have won the race a few months later, with Noonan visiting the Amsterdam giants amid advanced negotiations and reportedly giving them his word that he would join. However, that deal also failed to materialise.

There is now finally certainty over his next destination, with Forest securing the sought-after youngster ahead of Celtic and his other suitors.

Noonan has already made history in European competition, becoming the youngest-ever goalscorer in the UEFA Conference League when he struck against Molde in last season’s knockout stages.

He also scored six goals in 30 Irish Premier Division appearances last season as Rovers lifted the title.

There is an interesting Celtic connection to Noonan’s emergence at Rovers, with the teenager initially arriving to help fill the void left by Johnny Kenny following his loan spell from the Hoops.