Celtic have already held talks to sign English star

As the old saying goes, never fall in love with a loan player, albeit with there little chance of that happening with regard to the current Celtic crop at Parkhead.

Final day hero, Marcelo Saracchi, aside, those brought in on a temporary basis this season are unlikely to be snapped up permanently, with the January quintet of Benjamin Arthur, Junior Adamu, Joel Mvuka, Tomas Cvancara and Julian Araujo all absent from the matchday squad last weekend.

There was to be no repeat of recent years in Glasgow, with loan signings having often made a key impact, be it Adam Idah in early 2024, or Cameron Carter-Vickers and Jota in 2021/22.

Perhaps one of the great success stories of the last decade or so has to be Patrick Roberts, the young winger spending just over two years at the club, arguably playing the best football of his career to date before belatedly returning to parent club Manchester City in 2018.

It was a deal, at the time, that seemed to benefit all parties, with the Hoops having seemingly pursued a similar move in 2026 already.

Celtic have held talks to sign another Premier League sensation

After the chaos of last summer and this season in general, there will be little faith in the Celtic board doing what needs to be done this time around, with Martin O’Neill‘s title-winning heroics papering over the cracks of widespread issues in the first-team ranks.

With contracts expiring, loan players set to depart and high-profile figures like Daizen Maeda set to generate interest, this is a squad in need of drastic reinforcement from back to front.

That’s none more so evident than on the flanks, with Michel-Ange Balikwisha not seen in the Premiership since October; Jota sidelined all season, and with Sebastian Tounekti ending the campaign with just two goals and two assists in the top-flight, despite starting 18 games.

Those woes could be eased if the Scottish champions are to revive their interest in Manchester United starlet, Shea Lacey, however, with United insiders revealing that Celtic had held talks over a loan move for the 18-year-old in January.

O’Neill and co were looking at a six-month deal at the time, although an injury for the teenager complicated matters, with Ligue 1 outfit Marseille also interested.

Having only made three first-team appearances for the Old Trafford side to date, the suggestion is that Lacey could again be available for a loan this summer, ensuring those at Parkhead could put themselves in the mix once more.

Why Lacey could be another Patrick Roberts at Celtic

Considering Lacey’s limited first-team experience in Manchester, any deal would be a gamble as far as Celtic are concerned. That said, the case of Roberts showed the benefits of taking a risk on a rising Premier League star.

The latter man joined from United’s rivals Manchester City back in January 2016, signing on an 18-month loan deal having been just 18 himself at the time.

Roberts had barely played for City at that stage, having previously made 22 appearances for Fulham, yet went on to sparkle in Glasgow, even seeing his move extended for a further year in 2017.

In all, his 78 games for the club yielded 44 goals and assists, the Englishman proving such a terror cutting in from that right-flank onto his favoured left foot.

Lacey, it must be said, is cut from similar cloth, with his best work in Man United’s youth ranks coming in that same role, hailed as a “wing wizard” by journalist Chris Wheeler.

He’s slight in stature, like Roberts, yet makes up for it with his balletic dribbling ability, having regularly been likened to Man City academy graduate, Phil Foden, in that regard.

It’s only been seen in flashes at first-team level, but this is a player who gets bums off seats, showing no sign of nerves or trepidation when thrown into the mix.

Indeed, on just his second substitute appearance away at Burnley in January, Lacey twice came agonisingly close to rifling in from range, immediately making an impact in such a brief cameo.

Even when subsequently, and rather harshly, sent off for two yellow cards against Brighton and Hove Albion in the FA Cup, it was telling how often Bruno Fernandes and co looked to the youngster on that right flank, and telling too how intent the Liverpool-born talent was on driving at his man.

He’s a game-changer and a sparkling talent, very much in the mould of the great wingers of Celtic past.

Even if it only proves to be a relatively short-lived relationship, as it was with Roberts’ loan move, this is a deal that the champions need to pursue again this summer.