Celtic striker Daniel Cummings saw a move to West Ham United fall through on transfer deadline day. However, with his current Hoops deal set to expire, he looks certain to leave the club in the summer.
Celtic reportedly rejected two bids for Daniel Cummings from Graham Potter, including a £500,000 offer.
The Hoops were looking for £750,000, but West Ham weren’t willing to go that high. If the Scottish striker joins the Hammers in the summer, Celtic would be due £350,000 in compensation, having developed Cummings through their youth system.
Cummings is now reportedly on track to join West Ham at the end of the season, according to The West Ham Way, with an insider for the site revealing that the deal is nearly complete.
Former West Ham captain Mark Noble has been said to be instrumental in securing Cummings move to London, with Noble now serving as the club’s sporting director.
A medical will be required before he officially signs his contract with Graham Potter’s side, with the transfer set to be completed in July. While the deal is close, Cummings has yet to put pen to paper.
However, barring any last-minute changes, he is highly expected to become a West Ham player this summer.
In 19 Lowland League appearances for Celtic B this season, Cummings has scored 18 goals, showing real promise at just 18 years old in the Scottish fifth tier. However, he hasn’t been afforded consistent first-team minutes, leading to a willingness to run down his current deal.
With Brendan Rodgers previously revealing that he believes Cummings’ agent has played a part in his potential exit, this appears to be yet another example of a Celtic youth player’s agent pushing for a move—one that would secure them a bonus—rather than advising the player to stay and develop in the first-team setup.
Celtic have struggled in recent years to consistently integrate players from the youth setup into the first team. However, in Brendan Rodgers, the Hoops have a manager willing to give young players an opportunity if they are good enough.
Rodgers’ decision to recall Dane Murray from Queen’s Park while sending Stephen Welsh out on loan to Belgium highlights that hard work can be rewarded. This was evident on Saturday when he started Murray against Raith Rovers in the Premier Sports Cup.
