Leo Hjelde left out of Celtic B squad with Leeds United move close
Leo Hjelde was absent from the Celtic B squad today (Saturday) amid reports he’s close to joining Leeds United.
Ahead of their Scottish Lowlands League clash against Vale Leithen, Celtic announced their team news on Twitter and Hjelde, 17, wasn’t included.
The Scottish Sun reports Hjelde’s move to Leeds will be completed in the coming days after a “significant” fee was agreed.
Nettavisen journalist Stian Andre de Wahl has this week reported that the Norway youth international has also agreed personal terms and is due to undergo a medical with the Yorkshire giants.
Deal imminent?
Hjelde’s move from Celtic Park to Elland Road seems as though it will be rubber-stamped in the coming days.
Despite getting into the Celtic first-team on the occasion and also spending the second half of last season impressing on loan at Ross County in the Scottish Premiership, he’s also been playing B team football for the Hoops.
Leeds fans will probably have heard all the praise about Hjedle and the fact he’s been compared to Virgil van Dijk.
But for him, there’s no doubt that he sees Leeds as a club where he can continue his development and maybe even get a good chance of earning senior minutes.
Marcelo Bielsa likes to use his Under-23s squad to help pad out the first team.
For the 5-1 defeat to Manchester United on Saturday, Bielsa named Sam Greenwood and Crysenscio Summerville on his bench.
Diego Llorente and Robin Koch have been injured prone in the last year so Hjelde can cover them but the Norway youth international can also play at left-back and he may see himself as serving as a back-up option for Junior Firpo.
In other Leeds United news, Phil Hay has named the most likely new signing for the first team at Elland Road.