This is another article in our series of pinpointing young players in Europe, who could potentially be good acquisitions for Newcastle this summer or in the future, and today we focus on Celtic’s 21 year-old winger James Forrest, who has played 7 times for Scotland.
James Forrest – 21 year-old Celtic winger
James was born in Prestwick and joined the Celtic Youth Academy at the age of 13, and has been at Celtic ever since.
The 5’9″ right footed right-winger signed an initial four-year contract with Celtic in August of 2009, and he made his debut for Celtic in May of 2010, when he was 18, coming on as a late substitute against Motherwell, and scored a goal.
Since then James has played 99 times for Celtic with 17 goals and 18 assists, but it’s hard to judge him on those figures, since the Scottish Premier League has slumped to the 24th rated league in Europe, a drop of six places since Rangers left.
Last season James played 29 times for Celtic with four goals and eight assists, and the youngster can play on either wing or as an out-and-out striker.
He made his Scottish international debut in May of 2011 in the match against the Republic of Ireland in the World Cup, and in January of that year he signed a new five-year contract with the Scottish powerhouse, so he is contracted to Celtic through 2016.
And in January 2012, he was named one of the 13 players to watch in 2012 by FIFA.
His style is that of some of some of the classic Scottish wingers of the past – he has good speed and dribbling skills, and can beat his man and get the ball over into the box.
James prefers playing on the right-wing but he is a versatile player, and here’s another youngster who is performing very well for his club at the moment.
What do you think?
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184 comments so far
WWYCD
Jun 13, 2013 at 4:39 PM
Comment #161Zouma is open to a move away from ASSE…I wish I could imagine us being in on that kind of deal but really there’s no hope is there? 🙁
And that Villa have signed a very highly rated young CB life just gets better doesn’t it
sparky55
Jun 13, 2013 at 4:39 PM
Comment #162If you honestly think we’ll have Cabs and Cisse and Tiote and Colo next season then you’re an eternal optimist for sure…
happy dreams Ruddy and may your glass always overflow from being half full
Ruddy Marveaux-lous
Jun 13, 2013 at 4:43 PM
Comment #163Sparky
We won’t sell Cabaye for less than 20m, we won’t sell Cisse for less than 15m, and we won’t sell Colo for less than 6m.
If we sell Tiote I really wouldn’t be that bothered, he’s had a stinker and if we got 8/9m for him I’d take that.
Why do we need to sell these players? And why are you so sure we will sell them or that teams will match our price tags for them?
sparky55
Jun 13, 2013 at 4:43 PM
Comment #164du management are still on holiday and apologise for being slow out the blocks…apparently pardew thinks no-one is available until July 1st.
…wonder what excuses we’ll get this summer
sparky55
Jun 13, 2013 at 4:45 PM
Comment #165You think they’re happy?
sparky55
Jun 13, 2013 at 4:51 PM
Comment #166it’s not about needing to sell them…it’s about the managements ability to keep players who aren’t happy and Pardew set the scene at the end of the season saying it’s impossible to keep a player if they really want to leave.
If a player is happy and someone comes in for them and offers 20 million then good chance we’ll get 20 million plus for the player…but offers don’t come in that high for players who want to leave and all of a sudden that 20 million is 15 million.
All clubs and Agents know when a player is unhappy and after a move and that’s always reflected in the price…unless of course you’re a rooney, or a ronaldo or a RVP.
IMO we won’t get much more than 25 for Cabs and Cisse…With perhaps 5 for Colo.
Ruddy Marveaux-lous
Jun 13, 2013 at 4:59 PM
Comment #167Sparky
I don’t think a player’s happiness has any impact upon their evaluations, none whatsoever.
If you think MA will let Cabaye leave for 15m on account that he’s not happy then how do you explain him not letting Colo go in January when he clearly was desperately unhappy.
I think you’re adding 2+2 and coming up with Q.
25m for Cabs and Cisse? I shall respectfully say I disagree from here to holy hell with that statement.
toon kk
Jun 13, 2013 at 5:06 PM
Comment #168Not one of our players are worth any more than 10mil max after the season we’ve just had. If any want away there’s nothing we can do apart from try and replace them.
WWYCD
Jun 13, 2013 at 5:08 PM
Comment #169toon kk
I disagree
Thump
Jun 13, 2013 at 5:08 PM
Comment #170@santonthenewmaldini: We won’t get compensation for Connor/Newton. NUFC waived it in favour of a sell on clause.
Ruddy Marveaux-lous
Jun 13, 2013 at 5:09 PM
Comment #171Toon KK
There’s a difference to the players worth and what we are willing to sell them for, which is why I don’t think that we will be selling any of our top players due to the fact that other clubs will refuse to match our evaluations of them.
sparky55
Jun 13, 2013 at 5:23 PM
Comment #172we were desperate last year for Colo’s presence in the back four…we did after all concede 68 goals if you remember…and we haven’t agreed to let him go FOR FREE so you can’t sit there and have that as an argument.
I’m saying players of Cabs standing in the game usually get the move they want because n0-one wants a player on the books who doesn’t want to be there…so the price is bound to be affected.
You think not…so yet again we’re on polar opposites but hey…nothing new there then!
toon kk
Jun 13, 2013 at 5:29 PM
Comment #173Ruddy…….I agree we might value some of them more. But will other clubs? We just escaped relegation. Alot of them badly under preformed so I think it will half there value. Look at cisse his first season he would have sold for double what he’s worth today.
No Plain Saylor
Jun 13, 2013 at 5:31 PM
Comment #174I see there’s another excellent prospective signing we’ve missed out on.
Heung-Min Son, moved to Leverkusan today to replace Schurrle who went to Chelsea.
Heung Min Son, at 20 years old has experience of european football, as a midfielder he’s got like 24 goals in 70 something games. He cost 7 million pound.
He’d already be an absolute star in our first team, imagine how good he could be at 26, 27?
Also would have raised our profile in asia.
I’m absolutely sick of seeing teams link with (yes I know its mostly specualtion) but big players, every club has possible transfers in to be excited about.
We’re chasing f*cking Darren Bent.
WWYCD
Jun 13, 2013 at 5:34 PM
Comment #175Next year is World Cup year if Cabs want to be in it he has to up his game whether he’s happy or not, same with all our players so even if they are unhappy with not being sold they are all professionals and will understand they must play out of their skin to catch people’s eyes so they can reach the WC
Yes am sure they are all unhappy with last years results but they are to blame for them imo either nut up until our valuation of them is met or play ur heart out with our club
WWYCD
Jun 13, 2013 at 5:35 PM
Comment #176toon kk
If Ashley’s valuation isn’t met the player won’t be sold so really it matters little how other clubs value our players
toonarmydownsouth
Jun 13, 2013 at 5:36 PM
Comment #177Toon kk
What? Nothing we can do about it? These lads are on 4-5 year contracts and Ashley is as tight as a ducks ars3 none of them will be allowed to leave unless the clubs valuation is met not what another club thinks there worth
Ashley won’t give to sh1ts if the player is happy or not look no further than colo in jan
Edmond
Jun 13, 2013 at 5:36 PM
Comment #178https://procontract.samsungfootball.com/profile/1348788317/ Hello guys I have a friend who needs a bit of help, so please could you vote for him, its fast and easy and it is to win the chance to gain a pro contract he is 16 and has a lot of potential
toonarmydownsouth
Jun 13, 2013 at 5:37 PM
Comment #179On cisse
If true he sure has picked a strange time to remember his religious morales they never seemed to have bothered him before….
croftus5678
Jun 13, 2013 at 5:38 PM
Comment #180i agree with ruddy.
fair enough our best players are not worth 20+mil but we need to keep our best players so they are worth 20+mil to nufc that way we either keep them or we get over the odd’s for them so we can make the squad better in the whole i.e carroll.
makes perfect sense to me.
Barras
Jun 13, 2013 at 5:39 PM
Comment #181Aston Villa are creating a very good team now. I think they will finish in the top 8 next year.
toonarmydownsouth
Jun 13, 2013 at 5:39 PM
Comment #182Yo
Spot on mate, the players can sulk and point fingers but there still paid obscene amounts to do a job and our big names need to sort there acts next season as they were the worst out the whole squad last season
WWYCD
Jun 13, 2013 at 5:48 PM
Comment #183toonarmydownsouth
Totally agree mate hopefully we will get a good pre season in and rebuild that environment that got us 5th next season
Sav
Jun 14, 2013 at 1:51 AM
Comment #184Crikey, Ed. Is there not already too much groundless speculation from manipulative agents, lazy journalists and the like, without you throwing in your ‘series on young players around Europe’ onto the pile? This isn’t a newspaper. No-one’s livelihood depends on it, so if there’s no news, I suggest you just take an NUFC Blog holiday. The sky will not fall in.