Accies boss Stuart Taylor has played down reports linking defender Jamie Hamilton with the likes of Celtic and Premier League giants Liverpool, speaking to the Daily Record.
If he maintains his current rate of progression, Hamilton the player will be saying his goodbyes to Hamilton the club sooner rather than later.
At the age of just 19, the homegrown centre-half is already one of the first names on Taylor’s team-sheet, his commanding performances at the heart of the Accies defence earning Hamilton his fair share of admirers on both sides of Hadrian’s Wall.
According to TEAMtalk, Celtic, Hibernian and Aberdeen are all interested. As are Brighton and Hove Albion, Brentford, Newcastle United and Burnley.
2019 European Champions Liverpool, meanwhile, see Hamilton as a potential successor for the wantaway Nat Phillips with sporting director Michael Edwards – one of the finest deal-brokers in the game – leading the chase for the teenager’s signature.
Liverpool are long-time admirers of Hamilton.
Will Jamie Hamilton join Celtic or Liverpool?
“Nobody has spoken to me directly, but that would be normal,” Taylor said when asked about Hamilton’s future. “Other clubs don’t always go to the manager.
“But I’ve certainly not spoken to Allan (Maitland, the club chairman) in the last 24 hours about outgoings.
“I do expect there will be interest in Jamie. And I expect there will be interest in a lot of our players, especially the younger ones.
“But going on websites, it’s very easy to punch in names of teams and players. It goes under the category of what I’d call ‘pub chat’.”
It remains to be seen how true reports of interest from Liverpool, Celtic and co really are. Both clubs do appear to be in the market for a new, up-and-coming central defender however.
Both clubs showed an interest in another Scotland-based centre-half in the shape of Dundee United starlet Kerr Smith. Smith, however, is closing in on a potential £2 million move to Aston Villa.
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