Celtic linked with highly rated Cork City winger Cathal O’Sullivan

The 18-year-old, who has already broken into the Republic of Ireland U21 setup, is seemingly attracting increasing attention following an impressive 2024 campaign in the League of Ireland top-flight.

O’Sullivan, it seems has been tracked by several English clubs in recent months, including Nottingham Forest, Crystal Palace, Preston North End, and most recently Brentford. Celtic’s reported interest then is keeping some good company there.

O’Sullivan made his first appearances for Cork City late in the 2023 season, before establishing himself as a regular starter in 2024. He’s described as a left-footed winger who plays on the right, and a player who tends to cut inside to shoot or combine with teammates, and has been praised for his acceleration, close control, and ability to beat defenders from a standing start.

Former Preston player Sean Maguire, now a teammate at Cork City, has described him as “the best teenager in the country” and predicted he will go on to play “at the highest level in England”.

While there is clearly an element of hype around the player, observers in Ireland have noted that it’s O’Sullivan’s work rate and defensive contribution — not always common in young wingers — that make him stand out.

Journalist Darryl Geraghty recently highlighted his “ferocious tenacity” and willingness to “do the ugly side of the game”, something that tends to resonate with coaches at higher levels as we can see from the clubs linked with the player, but perhaps also a coach closer to home too.

From Celtic’s perspective, any move for O’Sullivan would most likely be viewed as a developmental project rather than a signing aimed at immediate first-team impact. That said, Brendan Rodgers has a strong track record of nurturing young players with the right raw attributes — technical ability, intelligence, and work ethic — into senior-level contributors over time.

O’Sullivan’s ability to press from the front, recover defensively, and stay tactically disciplined would be attractive in a Rodgers system. Celtic’s current wide options — including Jota, Maeda, Kuhn, Yang and a still-contributing James Forrest — means the club is not short of options at the moment on the flanks, although there are plenty of rumours circling around of further strengthening to come, but as things stand there would be flexibility to bring in a young player and integrate him at a gradual pace.

Should a move materialise, a loan spell — either back to the League of Ireland another Scottish club – would seem a likely next step to continue his development and build experience at a higher level, and that’s likely to be the case at the other clubs linked with him also, although Preston might well view him as a first team player immediately.

With the transfer market for young players becoming increasingly competitive, Celtic have shown a willingness to move early on prospects before their value spikes. The reported interest in O’Sullivan is consistent with that strategy. The likes of Matt O’Riley and Liel Abada were brought in as young players with high ceilings, and have gone on to contribute significantly — and attract attention from clubs in larger markets.

Of course, the jump from the League of Ireland to a club like Celtic — especially one playing regularly in Europe — is substantial. At 18, O’Sullivan remains far from the finished article. However, with international youth experience and a growing body of senior-level performances, he arguably represents a player with long-term potential.

At this stage, the reported interest from Celtic appears to be preliminary, and it’s not clear whether a formal approach has been made. However, O’Sullivan fits the profile of a player Celtic might target – technically sound, high work rate, and still developing.

If a deal can be done for a reasonable fee, it could represent a low-risk, potentially high-reward acquisition, in line with the club’s broader recruitment model.

Time will tell whether Celtic move beyond interest, but Cathal O’Sullivan is a name worth keeping an eye on — both for this window and beyond.

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