Celtic and Fulham race to sign Aiden McGinlay – sources
Fulham are battling with Celtic to sign 17-year-old Scottish sensation Aiden McGinlay from Queens Park, sources have told Football Insider.
The attacking winger has earned rave reviews playing for Queens Park’s under-18s and B team after joining from Partick Thistle in January.
Celtic and newly promoted Ipswich Town also have an interest in McGinlay, with Fulham now prepared to enter the race for his signature.
It is believed that the Premier League outfit sent scouts to watch the winger in person over the last week.
Queens Park, meanwhile, are keen to tie him down to a professional contract but are braced for offers for the 17-year-old, who could leave for just £70,000 in compensation.
Fulham enter race with Celtic and Ipswich to sign Aiden McGinlay
The arrival of a 17-year-old would be a change of pace for Fulham after Football Insider revealed they want to sign 31-year-old Rangers striker Kemar Roofe.
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McGinlay still has plenty of room to grow and develop his game, having only featured for the Under-18s and B team at Queens Park.
He has also featured for Scotland’s under-17 side, making his debut in August 2023, contributing to the high interest in his signature.
However, attracting such high-profile interest at a young age is a real testament to his ability, with Fulham scouts impressed by his displays.
His young age and the fact he is yet to sign his first professional deal with the Scottish Championship outfit mean any transfer deal would be with the future in mind.
For Queens Park, losing McGinlay for just a small compensation fee despite having only signed him six months ago would be a bitter blow.
If they can tie him down to a new deal, it would allow them to command a significantly higher fee when the likes of Celtic come calling.
With the money potentially on offer from one of Scotland’s giants and two English Premier League clubs, maximising their profit could prove huge for Queens Park.
However, £70,000 in compensation could leave them feeling like they missed out on an opportunity to make big money from the deal.
In other news, Rangers fans fumed at controversial footage v Celtic.
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