‘They’re playing in Europe’: Former player fears five-goal star could join Celtic or Rangers

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Scottish Premiership rivals Rangers and Celtic reportedly want Stoke City’s Tyrese Campbell.

Ricardo Fuller admits he is not certain that Tyrese Campbell will stay at Stoke City for the foreseeable future with Celtic and Rangers circling around the Potters’ breakthrough star, while speaking to BBC Radio Stoke.

The son of Arsenal and Everton hero Kevin, Campbell Jr is making a name for himself in his own right as one of the Championship’s most in-form strikers.

The 20-year-old took his tally to five goals in seven starts with the winner against league leaders West Brom on Monday while his extraordinary display in a 5-2 thrashing of Huddersfield Town recently ranks among one of the best individual performances in the division this season.

With Campbell’s contract due to expire in July, Stoke are facing up to the prospect of losing their prized asset at some point this year.

Old Firm rivals Rangers and Celtic have been linked for some time while, according to The Telegraph, Premier League duo Crystal Palace, Wolverhampton Wanderers are interested too.

‘Doing fantastically well’

Stoke legend Fuller feels a departure might be on the cards and understands why a move to one of Scotland’s powerhouses would appeal to a forward with the world at his feet.

“Tyrese is doing fantastically well. He’s a young player, he’s strong, he’s got a bit of pace which will improve no doubt the more games he plays. I’m not so sure we can keep him,” said a man who scored 18 Premier League goals in Stoke colours.

“The Scottish league is not as strong as it used to be in my time when I was there (at Hearts in 2001/02). Back then Rangers and Celtic were buying players for £10m. There was Henrik Larsson, Bobo Balde, Ronald de Boer – so many great players.

“But they are still playing in Europe, there is Champions League qualification, Europa League… they’ve got a lot of games to play in massive stadiums against massive players in front of a massive crowd.”

Celtic, for instance, are a proven finishing school for young players looking to fulfil their potential. Back in 2016, Moussa Dembele found himself in a similar position to Campbell and opted to join Celtic when his Fulham contract expired.

Two years on, he departed for Lyon in a £19 million deal after winning six trophies in a pair of seasons in green and white.