Ajax are reportedly closing in on a move for Michael Noonan, with Celtic facing the prospect of missing out on the highly rated Shamrock Rovers forward. [TCW]
Noonan is expected to join Ajax’s development pathway rather than move straight into the senior side, with Jong Ajax playing in the Dutch second tier.
That route could be attractive for a young striker still at the early stage of his career. It offers regular football, a clear development model and a club with a long history of bringing through attacking talent.
For Celtic, it would be another frustrating one if their interest was serious. The club have looked at the Irish market before and Noonan’s profile makes sense: young, technically promising and already exposed to senior football.
He made real headlines last season when he scored for Shamrock Rovers against Molde in Europe, becoming the youngest goalscorer in Conference League history at just 16.
His overall return was modest, with three goals across 28 appearances, but that has to be judged in context. Noonan is still developing and would not have been signed by Celtic as an immediate first-team starter.
This is a different type of case. Dolberg was a senior striker. Noonan is a long-term project.
But the message is familiar enough. When Celtic identify attacking talent, they need to move quickly, because clubs with strong development pathways are always ready to step in.
