“As a long-term replacement for Taylor Harwood-Bellis” – Burnley in Celtic transfer race with Aston Villa and others: The verdict | OneFootball

This article is part of Football League World’s ‘The Verdict’ series, which provides personal opinions from the FLW writers regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

Burnley have been linked with 20-year-old Celtic centre-back Ewan Otoo ahead of January.

According to Daily Mail, the Championship club are one of a number of teams keen on Otoo, who is out of contract next summer.

They face potential competition from Aston Villa and Fulham but would it be a good signing for Burnley? And do they need him?

We quizzed our FLW writers…

George Dagless

I suppose you just have to bow down to Vincent Kompany’s judgement of a player and say that this one has potential.

Ultimately, it would be a huge step up for Otoo in terms of what he has been used to for much of his career, with him largely playing for Celtic B rather than for the first team.

There’s clearly something about him, though, with Premier League sides also interested and that suggests he has the potential to be a hit at the right club where he can develop.

Whether he can come into Burnley and be a hit straight away remains to be seen but Kompany has shown he can pick a player and, in fairness, he knows one or two things about what it takes to be a top defender, so you’d have to think the Belgian knows what he is doing in tracking Otoo.

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Simmey Hannifin-Donaldson

It’s hard to know what to make of this one, to be honest.

Otoo is young and has not played much senior football, and when he has, it has been at quite a poor level.

For example, with Celtic B this season, Otoo has been playing in the Lowland League, which is the fifth tier of Scotland.

He did play in the third tier previously, but, I think just the level he is at now suggests he’d be unable to come in and make an immediate impact at Turf Moor.

He could well be one for the future, but, it’s hard to know just how good he can be at this stage of his career. This, therefore, makes it tough to say definitively whether or not he’d be a good addition for Burnley.

Ned Holmes

As a long-term replacement for Taylor Harwood-Bellis this could be a smart bit of business.

The Manchester City loanee has been outstanding for Burnley this term but is highly thought of at his parent club and his performances in the Championship will only have encouraged them that he could have a future in the first team.

Given his lack of senior experience for Celtic, you have to feel Otoo is a target with the long-term in mind and he looks like an exciting prospect.

You don’t become the captain of the Scottish club’s B Team for no reason while the interest from the likes of Villa shows Burnley could be onto a winner here.

I’m not sure it would be a deal that has a huge impact this season but it could pay dividends further down the line.