Celtic hand out new contracts to three players as Hoops build for future
The three youngster have put pen to paper on their Parkhead future
Celtic rising stars Owen Hartington, Aidan Rice and Cole Crawford have all signed a new deal as the club put emphasis on keeping players for the future.
The trio have been mainstays in Jonny Hayes’ B team, who finished 10th in the Lowland League last season. Upon putting pen to paper on their respective exciting new deals, the club have congratulated them. Midfielder Hartington and goalkeeper Rice have extended their stay until 2028.
For Celtic, securing the future of the youngsters is a statement of intent. The likes of Colby Donovan and Dane Murray over the past season have proved that their can be a pathway from the academy setup into the youth setup. At the end of the season, manager Martin O’Neill intimated that ‘room’ needs to be made for young players in the squad.
Hartington signs two-year deal
A club statement read: “We are delighted to confirm that Owen Hartington has signed a new two-year deal with the club. Hartington signed his first professional contract with the Hoops back in 2024, originally featuring as part of the Under-18s.
“His step up to the B Team came in the back end of the 2024/25 season, and he even scored his first goal at that level, during a 5-1 win over Clyde. The energetic midfielder then made the full-time step up to the B Team squad and has gone on to feature 22 times in the Scottish Lowland League. Congratulations to Owen on extending his stay here at Celtic, and we are excited to see what the future holds!”
Hoops secure future of Rice and Caldwell
Rice’s statement from the club read: “We are delighted to announce that Aidan Rice has become the latest youngster to extend his stay at Paradise. The talented goalkeeper has put pen to paper on a new two-year deal with the Hoops. Having first featured for the B Team last campaign, Rice has continued to grow as a player over the past few years. Alongside spells training as part of the first-team set-up, he has also already enjoyed several successful loan spells. We would like to wish a big congratulations to Aidan and are excited to see his journey continue at Celtic Park.”
Defender Caldwell’s said: “Celtic Football Club are pleased to announce that Cole Crawford has put pen to paper on a new deal with the Hoops. Having come through the ranks as a youngster with the club, the defender has extended his stay at Paradise. Crawford has been a mainstay within the B Team this campaign, making the full-time step up as part of Jonny Hayes’ young squad. Featuring mostly as a right-back, the defender has continued to improve week-upon-week in the young Hoops backline. We would like to congratulate Cole and look forward to seeing his development continue here at Celtic.”
The Scottish Football Social Club is presented by BetSBK.com | 18+ | Gamble Responsibly