Celtic youngster Ben Summers has penned a new long-term contract - and immediately joined Dunfermline on a season-long loan.
The 19-year-old, who joined the Hoops as a seven-year-old, is regarded as one of the brightest young prospects at the Scottish champions and was part of Brendan Rodgers’ first-team squad during pre-season.
He was already tied to the Parkhead side until 2025 but that has been extended by at least another 12 months.
The attacking midfielder made his first-team breakthrough at the end of last season, making substitute’s appearances in April’s 4-1 win over Kilmarnock and the 5-0 hammering of Aberdeen in the final Premiership outing of the season in May.
He becomes Dunfermline’s sixth signing of the summer and bolsters their squad ahead of this weekend’s trip to face Dundee United.
Manager James McPake said: “Ben is a very good young player. He’s one whose name did come up last year, but he was kept back to train with Celtic and he spent the full season training with the first-team.
“He made a couple of appearances off the bench and was on the bench in other games.
“Just to train every day with Celtic in that environment is great. That doesn’t guarantee you anything when you go to first-team level, whether that’s with Celtic or us.
“But I saw an interview with Ange Postecoglou when he said that nobody gets a debut or anything under him unless it’s earned.
“He’s got ambitions to go on and play for Celtic and Celtic have got high hopes for him to be a Celtic player.
“So, this is the first step in his career away from Celtic now to prove that he’s good enough to play first-team football and then kick on from there.
“I’m just glad we could get him out because he’s an exciting one for the football club.”
