Celtic are reportedly battling it out with their Old Firm foes to land Queen's Park starlet Cameron Bruce, although the Premiership champions face competition from clubs south of the border.

What's the word?

According to The Scottish Sun, the Hoops have seen bids rejected for the promising 16-year-old, with a handful of Premier League sides also said to be keeping a close eye on the left-back.

Also in the hunt for the youngster are Celtic's crosstown arch-rivals Rangers, who have had a bid of their own knocked back by Queen's Park.

The report suggests that his current club have 'no intention' of parting ways with the exciting talent any time soon, with the Championship outfit having only handed him a two-year professional contract in May.

The Glasgow-born full-back has been with the Spiders since joining the youth setup at under-9 level, eventually going on to make his senior debut off the bench in March.

Taylor heir

Such clamour for his signature is a marker of just what a talent the youngster truly is, with those at Parkhead likely to have a real gem on their hands if they can poach him amid such intense rival interest.

While his first-team involvement has been fleeting to date - with the Scotland under-17 international making just two senior outings in total - he has clearly caught the eye with his displays at academy level.

Bruce was lauded by Queen's Park director of football Marijn Beuker after penning professional terms in May, with the club chief saying: "Cameron is a modern wing back, who possesses a lot of technical skills and game intelligence that not only make him a graceful player, but above all with which he has the potential to grow into an excellent wing-back."

The young Scotsman would undoubtedly be a player for the future if he were to join Ange Postecoglou's ranks this summer, although the hope will be that he could be the long-term successor to compatriot and Celtic's current first-choice left-back Greg Taylor.

The 24-year-old - who signed from Kilmarnock in 2019 - has established himself as the first-choice in his full-back berth at Parkhead, offering a dynamic and relentless attacking threat down the left flank.

In 88 games for the club so far, the £2.25m-rated ace has chipped in with a respectable tally of 16 assists in all competitions, having notably been lauded for his "unbelievable" form in the early weeks of the new season by team-mate Jota.

Also labelled "very, very consistent" by Matt O'Riley, the Scotland international is beginning to really blossom at Celtic Park at present, with the addition of youngster Alexandro Bernabei having potentially spurred him on even further.

Should Bruce join him at the club in the near future, Taylor could well be the man to help guide the youngster as he eventually emerges into the first team, with the teenager seemingly the perfect heir to the 5 foot 9 sensation.