Scottish Premiership champions Celtic have raided Premier League giants for loan signings over the years but not Manchester United’s Demetri Mitchell.
Fortunately for Celtic, Kieren Tierney is one of the best left-backs in the United Kingdom and is very rarely unavailable.
The academy graduate has played 83 first-team games in the last 18 months but, if the worst was to happen and he suffers an injury or picks up a suspension, there is a lack of real, proven alternatives in Brendan Rodgers’ squad.
Calvin Miller is promising but clearly Rodgers believes he has a bit to learn before he is a first-team player at Celtic. Meanwhile, Emilio Izaguirre is gone and the versatile Jonny Hayes looks set to be out for the rest of the season with injury.
So maybe it would have made sense for the Scottish Premiership giants to make a January move for Manchester United starlet Demetri Mitchell.
Celtic have made excellent use of the loan market, bringing Patrick Roberts, Charly Musonda and co to Parkhead from Premier League giants, and the left-sided Mitchell would have given Rodgers some much-needed depth and the ability to rest Tierney if required.
Instead, however, Mitchell is honing his trade at league rivals Hearts and making an excellent impression.
“I don’t think I have ever had a loan player who has adapted as quickly as Demi,” Hearts boss Craig Levein told the Daily Record of the 21-year-old, who scored a stunning goal in the Scottish Cup clash with St Johnstone at the weekend.
“In all seriousness, of all the loan deals I have ever done, he is the one that has been the most impressive.”
Mitchell might be better off at Tynecastle than Parkhead having become a regular already in Levein’s side, but perhaps Celtic should have raided Manchester again for another fresh-faced talent.
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