As Celtic’s season came to a close, speculation over the future of Callum Osmand quickly began to gather pace.
The young striker endured a frustrating campaign disrupted by injury, but when the biggest moments arrived, he delivered.
His goal against Rangers at Hampden in the League Cup semi-final announced him to the Celtic support, while his dramatic strike against Hearts on the final day effectively secured the Premiership title and cemented his place in Celtic folklore.
For a player with relatively limited first-team minutes, Osmand has already produced two of the defining moments of the season.
Beyond the goals, there have been encouraging signs whenever he has featured.
His movement has consistently caused problems for defenders, he looks comfortable playing at the level, and perhaps most importantly, he carries himself with the confidence of a player who believes he belongs in the first team.
That has inevitably attracted attention.
Reports linked West Ham United with a move for the striker despite him only arriving from Fulham last summer.
However, Celtic appear to have no intention of entertaining offers.
According to Pete O’Rourke, the club view Osmand as part of their plans moving forward and are determined to keep hold of him this summer.
That stance is unlikely to be a surprise given Martin O’Neill’s return.
The Celtic manager was the man who handed Osmand his debut and demonstrated faith in him when he was fit.
With questions surrounding Celtic’s striker department, retaining the Welsh forward makes even more sense.
Tomáš Čvančara has departed following his loan spell, Daizen Maeda continues to attract transfer interest, and decisions still need to be made on the futures of other attacking players, including Iheanacho.
In that context, Osmand looks less like a prospect for the future and more like a genuine first-team option.
The next step is proving he can become a regular contributor across an entire season.
Given what he has shown so far, it is easy to understand why O’Neill wants him around for the next chapter.
