Alfie Doughty has been tracked by Celtic for quite a long time (Getty Images)
According to The Sun, Celtic have stepped up their interest in Charlton Athletic youngster Alfie Doughty this summer.
The report suggests that Celtic have tracked the midfielder starlet’s progress for quite a long time and he could move to Scotland for the right offer. The Addicks had already turned down a bid for Doughty from Luton Town.
Born in London, Doughty flourished through the ranks of Charlton’s youth system and was sent on a one-month loan spell to Kingstonian FC. He made his senior bow in the 2018/19 season but saw game time hard to come by.
After another loan spell with Bromley in the National League, he returned to his parent club last November. He was on the bench earlier in the last season but then made himself a key member of the squad towards the end of the 2019/20 campaign.
The 20-year-old managed to rack up 2 goals and 3 assists in 29 Championship games last season and continued with the fine form into this campaign. He was brilliant in the 3-1 win against Swindon Town last week.
Neil Lennon has already made a handful of signings in preparation for their quest for the 10th in a row. However, he needs to bring in a few more new faces for the future. One area where the manager should focus on strengthening is the midfield.
Olivier Ntcham has been heavily linked with a move elsewhere and club captain Scott Brown is already 35, reaching the twilight of his career. However, they did sign David Turnbull last month but they need to stock up their resources for the future. Thus, a midfielder is a must this summer.
In that regard, Doughty could be a good signing for the club. The youngster has already shown immense potential and has the ability to succeed at a high level. He could be a replacement for the ageing Brown in the future. He is just 20 and still has a lot of room for development under the guidance of Lennon.
Moreover, the 20-year-old is also adept at operating in a left-back role and his inclusion would provide them with depth.
At 20, Doughty has a huge future ahead of him and Celtic should be able to enjoy his best. The Hoops are in need of midfielders as Brown wouldn’t be available for the future. Thus, investing in the London-born starlet could help them reap rewards in the future.
