When Armstrong Okoflex turned down the chance to stay at Arsenal in favour of a move to Celtic in 2018, the assumption was the highly rated winger had been offered a chance to play first-team football north of the border.
Why else would he have turned his back on a club he joined five years earlier, turning down Chelsea in favour of the red and white of Arsenal?
And it’s not as though the Gunners, the boyhood club of Okoflex’s father, didn’t want him either.
The north London giants had offered Okoflex a scholarship contract and were disappointed to learn he wouldn’t be putting pen to paper after all.
Flash forward to June 2021 and, with the 19-year-old winger now bringing the curtain down on his forgettable spell in Scotland, Okoflex could be forgiven for wondering why he ever decided to entrust Celtic with his development in the first place.
West Ham offer Celtic starlet Okoflex a route back to London
The Republic of Ireland U19 international played just 39 minutes of Premiership football in green and white as Neil Lennon’s reluctance to give youth a chance left supporters – and more than a few players – increasingly frustrated.
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Fellow youngster Liam Morrison left Celtic for Bayern Munich during Lennon’s second spell at Parkhead, while the exciting Cameron Harper jumped at the chance to join New York Red Bulls in March.
The reaction to Okoflex’s departure, then, was one of tired resignation among may Celtic supporters.
All Nigeria Soccer reports Okoflex has agreed to join West Ham United on a two-year deal.
David Moyes’ Hammers are understood to have fought off competition from Newcastle United and Crystal Palace for the fleet-footed forward’s signature.
And Celtic’s loss may turn out to be West Ham’s gain. At least, that’s the fear among fans on the green half of Glasgow.
Here’s what some Celtic fans had to say on Twitter about the news:
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