Aston Villa and Fulham are reportedly among three English clubs monitoring the progress of 20-year-old Celtic B captain Ewan Otoo and are interested in bringing him south of the border in January.
According to Daily Mail, Premier League sides Aston Villa and Fulham have been tracking the progress of 20-year-old Celtic B captain and versatile defender Ewan Otoo for some time now and could make a move for him when the window opens next month.
Otoo, who started playing football at a tender age for Eastwood Boys Club, joined the Scottish giants in 2018 and has since featured for the Under-18s and the reserves, but is yet to feature at senior level for the Old Firm outfit.
The Celtic B captain has racked up 17 appearances for the Glasgow side’s reserve team, who ply their trade in the Scottish Lowland League, which is the fifth tier of the football pyramid north of the border, so far this term, notably registering two assists and one goal in the process.
The central defender has grabbed the attention of first-team coaches with his commanding displays as well as his versatility, having also appeared as a left-back and a central midfielder this season. He has a taste of senior football experience in the Scottish League One, having spent time on loan at Clyde at the tail end of the 2020/21 campaign.
🏴 | Ewan Otoo
Aston Villa, Fulham & Burnley are all keeping tabs on Celtic B captain the Ewan Otoo ahead of a potential move this January.
The 20 year old has been at Celtic since be was 8 years old however is out of contract in the summer.
[@MailSport] pic.twitter.com/VIGnYqVpHy
— Everything Celtic (@aboutceltic) December 20, 2022
The emerging talent had previously shown his quality during a brief loan stint, recording 15 appearances in all competitions for the lower league side. Otoo would certainly not be an addition to the first-team squad for either Premier League side right away if he were to be plucked away from Celtic’s reserves.
Fulham’s Academy has gained prominence in English football in recent years after the emergence of a plethora of promising talent from the youth ranks, including the likes of Harvey Elliot, Fabio Carvalho, and Ryan Sessegnon, among others.
The Cottagers have also shown an interest in adding quality to their youth ranks, going by their recent links to Pablo Maia and Ivan Fresneda.
Similarly, Aston Villa are also scouting talent to add to their reserve roster. Back in 2018, they signed then-20-year-old defender Ezri Konsa from Charlton Athletic for a bargain fee. That move has turned out to be a decent success, with Konsa establishing himself as a key first-team member in recent years.
In a similar vein, Otoo is a prodigious defensive talent who could prove to be a bargain signing for the club in the long run. Newly-appointed boss Unai Emery has placed his faith in youth talent at Villarreal, with the likes of Nicolas Jackson, Alex Baena, and Yeremy Pino all thriving under his watch.
The Spaniard could give the Scottish defender the opportunity to fulfil his potential with first-team football at Villa Park, of course, if he impresses for the reserves first. But the 20-year-old is likely to get more opportunities at Craven Cottage. Otoo is under contract at Parkhead until May 2024, and it will be interesting to see which English club will come out on top in this transfer battle.