Dane Murray is set to join Queens Park on a season long loan.
Three years ago the young defender was thrown into the Champions League qualifiers against Midtjylland as Ange Postecoglou took over as Celtic manager.
Murray did nothing wrong over both legs but with Carl Starfelt and Cameron Carter-Vickers signed up the new manager quickly found his first choice central defensive partnership.
Injury has robbed Murray of the last two years of his career but he returned to action in the pre-season friendly away to Ayr United a month ago, wearing the captain’s armband for the second half.
That was followed by an appearance against Queens Park a few days later with the Championship side now giving Murray the opportunity of regular first team football and the chance to relaunch his career.
Ben McPherson had a successful stint on loan at Hampden last season until he was struck by injury, in January McKenzie Carse moved on loan to the Spiders but has since signed for Coleraine.
At the age of 21 Murray is too old for the B team playing in the Lowland League with that level of football of very limited value.
Earlier this year Darren O’Dea was handed the title of Professional Pathway Manager with the Murray deal looking like his first placement as Celtic seek ways of developing players from the Academy into the first team squad.
Last night the Celtic B team were pegged back to a 2-2 draw by Gala Fairydean Rovers in the Lowland League which highlights the chasm that players have to overcome to get into the first team scene.
Francis Turley, Matthew Anderson and Colby Donovan were all involved with the first team trip to the USA, being sent on loan to a Championship side seems the logical next step in their development with Partick Thistle and Ayr United the obvious options alongside Queens Park.
Celtic also have a link up with Admira Wacker in the Austrian Second Division but with their season underway there is no word on any players moving out on loan from Celtic.
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1 Comment
by Johnno
Would be an interesting development, if true of course?
Would suggest that Rodgers intends to potentially drop the 5CB option he had within his 25man squad last season?
Also, it could well mean that there is still a requirement for another homegrown player required to make up our quota of 8 also imo?
Think allowing a loan season for Murray is possibly the most sensible solution, with him being out of action with injuries for so long?
So potentially, we could now be looking at 15 players between midfield and attacking options now, within our 25man squad imo?
Maybe 8 midfield options, with possibly 7 in place already, which would include Oreily also?
Could be looking at 7 attacking options, for which 7 are currently in place, which would include yang and Mikey Johnston at present imo?
So could we still be looking at another CB and LB within our defensive set up?
Maybe even a replacement for O’Riley, along with another midfield player still in our midfield areas?
And still a striker, with another wide option?
And of course, at least 1 would have to be Scottish also?
Sounds like way to much to expect in the time remaining of this window, to potentially get in to finalise our 25man squad imo?