Celtic leading the race for red-hot teenage striker also wanted by United – report

Manchester United remain on the hunt for the next big talents of the land as they plan their squad rebuild with an eye on the future. The Red Devils have always been home to some of the finest young footballers in the world, and the current squad is also blessed with several promising emerging players. However, the Premier League giants are looking to add more stars to their ensemble, and recent reports state that they have set their sights on Michael Noonan. Ireland’s rising star The 17 year old has already caught the eye with the Shamrock Rovers’ senior side, and has admirers at several clubs across Europe. Michael Noonan Stats: 2025 CompetitionAppearancesGoalsAssistsYellow CardsRed CardsMinutes Played League of Ireland Premier Division3062–1,450′ FAI Cup421–306′ UEFA Conference League21—202′ UEFA Conference League Qualifiers—— Total3693–1,958′ Source: TransfermarktNoonan caught United’s attention following his fine performances at the FIFA Under-17 World Cup, where he helped Ireland reach the last 16 by scoring three goals in five games. Goalscoring has been the Red Devils’ weakness in recent years, which is why they invested heavily in their attack this summer. Yet the chance to sign a generational talent like Noonan is hard to pass up. The teenager became the youngest goalscorer in Conference League history in February this year, when he scored in the historic 1-0 win over Molde at the age of 16 years and 197 days. In September, Noonan scored on his Ireland Under-21 debut against Andorra, further strengthening his position as one of the finest young goalscorers in Europe. United are now eager to secure his signature, but it appears they are lagging behind in the race. Celtics favourites for Noonan According to The Irish Sun, Celtic are confident of beating the competition to Noonan’s signature. “Celtic are optimistic they can fend off increased competition to sign Shamrock Rovers striker Michael Noonan. The form of the Co Kildare native at club and international level has increased his number of suitors but Celtic remain an attractive option to him.” “Noonan turns 18 on July 31 next year which means any move would have to wait until then but, similar to what Tottenham did with Melia at St Pat’s, Celtic could sign him in January and loan him back to Rovers. “There are close links between the two clubs with Celtic’s largest shareholder Dermot Desmond also holding a 25 per cent stake in Rovers. “With Desmond under fire for the club’s transfer dealings, the signing of a player from the League of Ireland is unlikely to quell any fan unrest. But Noonan is seen as a good long-term investment who could have a high resale value.” United will need to step up their efforts if they wish to win the race for Noonan’s signature. The Irishman is under contract until the end of next year. Final Thoughts Noonan is among the crème de la crème of Irish football, so United will hate to miss out on the youngster. While Celtic lead the race for the teenager at the moment, the Red Devils do have the financial muscle to tilt the balance in their favour. However, much will depend on the player, who is likely to prioritise a move to a club where he can have a clear path to first-team football. Featured image Selin Sudheimer via Getty Images The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social Deepungsu Pandit Deepungsu has been a Manchester United fan since 2000. In his playing days, he was an attacking midfielder with a proclivity for the back heel. Right now, however, he prefers to operate as a regista. Deepungsu has been writing about the Red Devils, Football, and other things since 2009. He has worked for over seven years with Sportskeeda, writing football reviews, opinions and news articles. Deepungsu also maintains a blog, The Thinking Me, where he writes about life and things that interest him. His favourite Manchester United player is Paul Scholes.