Middlesbrough have officially confirmed on X the signing of Celtic youngster Josh Dede.
The 19-year-old full-back, who has been a regular for Celtic B in the Lowland League, now moves south to continue his development in the English game.
Dede joined Celtic’s academy at the age of 10 in 2016 and progressed through the youth ranks, featuring prominently for the B team in recent seasons. His performances at youth level had marked him as a promising talent, but with first-team opportunities at Celtic limited, the defender has opted to make the switch to Middlesbrough.
The young man from Glasgow has featured for Scotland’s youth set up including the under-17 and under-19’s.
Though he never made an official first-team appearance for Celtic, Dede featured for the hoops during their friendly tour in the Summer.
The Championship side has been actively recruiting young talent, and Dede will now look to establish himself at the Riverside Stadium. While he never made a senior appearance for the Hoops, his time in the academy system will have provided him with a strong foundation as he takes the next step in his career.
Celtic fans will hope to see another academy graduate make his mark in professional football, even if it won’t be in the green and white.
