Celtic midfielder Francis Turley has revealed that he turned down several Premier League clubs, as well as Rangers, to fulfil his dream of joining the Hoops. The Belfast-born playmaker, who has been a diehard Celtic supporter from a young age, made it clear that a move to Glasgow was always his ambition.

Turley had multiple options on the table, including interest from Aberdeen, Rangers, Ipswich, and Burnley. However, the 19-year-old explained that his heart was always set on Celtic, and he was determined to make the move happen.

He said: (The Belfast Telegraph), “Everyone from where I am from supported Celtic, so signing for them was a bit mad.

“I had a few options, a few in Scotland — Aberdeen and Rangers — and a few in England — Ipswich, Burnley and others.

“But I wanted the Celtic move to work out. Rangers wasn’t going to happen, no chance.”

During pre-season, Turley was given several opportunities to showcase his talent, even finding the back of the net in a friendly match against Queen’s Park. His performances during this period didn’t go unnoticed, and when Celtic embarked on their summer tour to the USA, Turley was part of the squad. The team faced off against DC United, Manchester City, and Chelsea, with the young midfielder making the trip.

Interestingly, Turley was set to play for Northern Ireland at the Under-19 European Championships but made the bold decision to pull out just before the tournament. Instead, he chose to join Celtic in the USA, a decision that reflected his dedication to making his Celtic dream a reality.

Though still young, Turley’s potential is clear. His competitive first-team debut came in August against St Mirren, where he made a promising impact off the bench. More recently, he was named on the bench for the highly anticipated Glasgow Derby against Rangers, further solidifying his place in Celtic’s squad.

At just 19 years old, the future looks bright for Turley, and with his commitment and natural ability, there’s every reason to believe he could develop into a key player at Celtic in the coming years. The young midfielder’s journey is one Celtic fans will certainly be watching with great interest.