David Martindale has made a bold prediction about James Penrice that is likely to raise eyebrows among Celtic fans.
Penrice, who recently signed a three-year deal with Hearts, has been tipped by Martindale to play for Celtic in the future.
Penrice, 25, has demonstrated his versatility on the field, capable of playing as a left-back, winger, or defensive midfielder. His consistent performances for Livingston have earned him a move to Hearts, where he will have the opportunity to participate in European competitions next season.
Martindale expressed his high regard for Penrice, telling the Hearts Standard, “For me, I genuinely think Hearts have ‘won a watch’ with him. This is me being really, really honest and people will maybe laugh at this. But I can see James playing for Rangers. I can see James playing for Celtic. That’s how highly I rate him. He can look after the ball. Hearts are a top-three club so he wouldn’t look out of place playing for anyone in the top three in my opinion.”
While Penrice’s move to Hearts is a significant step up from Livingston, it remains to be seen how he will adapt to the higher demands of a European-challenging club.
Let’s let him test himself at Hearts, who play a completely different brand of football at a higher level and in Europe, before we start making claims like this about his future.
