CELTIC have knocked back a derisory offer of £275,000 from Millwall for midfielder Daniel Kelly.
But the 18-year-old prospect will still joing the Championship when his contract expires on January 1 2025.
The Hoops were demanding £500,000 for the player to leave immediately, but the London club refused to pay up and are prepared to get Kelly on a nominal compensation fee.
The youngster, who made the first-team breakthrough last term, has now signed a pre-contract and will continue to play in the Celtic B side in the Lowland League.
TWO v ONE…Daniel Kelly is outnumbered by Hearts pair Lawrence Shankland and Cammy Devlin as he battles for the ball at Tynecastle in March.
He made his debut in the 5-0 Scottish Cup win over Buckie Thistle at Parkhead on January 21 and went on to make eight appearances while claiming his first goal in the 7-1 rout of Dundee in February.
Brendan Rodgers had high hopes for Kelly, but the powerhouse middle-of-the-park performer rejected new terms in June – believed to be around the £5,000-per-week mark – and was left out of the champions’ squad that toured The States in the summer.
Millwall boss Neil Harris guided his team to a 1-0 win in the Carabao Cup over Portsmouth last night and then told London News Online: “Dan has agreed to join the club. A deal has been agreed and he has signed. He officially joins us in January.
“He is a young player we think has got huge potential. Dan is a box-to-box midfielder with great energy. He has got passion and real aggression to his play.”
Kelly will become the second Hoops prospect to leave when his deal eventually runs down.
Celtic received a nominal fee of around £240,000 from another English second-tier outfit, Watford, for winger Rocco Vata lasty month.
