The Scottish Football Association has confirmed the transfer of Celtic’s highly-rated youngster, Aidan Borland, to Premier League side Aston Villa.
The news comes as the SFA announced their squad for upcoming friendlies against Switzerland, listing Borland as an Aston Villa player instead of Celtic.
#SCO17s | Brian McLaughlin has named his Scotland Men's Under-17s squad for an upcoming friendly double header away to Switzerland 🏴
➡️ Read more: https://t.co/75XX342lH9#YoungTeam pic.twitter.com/YOYEoN6mLF
— Scotland National Team (@ScotlandNT) August 3, 2023
Considered one of the most promising talents in his age group, Borland’s move down south mirrors the path taken by several of his Scottish and Celtic peers. The initial deal, thought to be around £300,000, is expected to increase beyond the £1 million mark should Borland fulfill his potential.
The 16-year-old’s departure comes amidst a trend of young talents being lured away from Scottish clubs by the promise of playing in top-flight English football. Notably, Ben Doak recently made a successful transition from Celtic to Liverpool, and Liam Morrison and Barry Hepburn are currently exploring their options on loan from Bayern Munich.
This latest trasnfer leaves Finlay Hale as the only Celtic star named in Brian McLaughlin’s squad for the upcoming international friendlies. It also demonstrates the challenges faced by Celtic and other Scottish clubs in retaining their homegrown talents amidst the allure of English Premier League football.
