Scottish champions Celtic could well be facing the prospect of losing another exciting academy asset in the near future...

What's the word?

According to the Daily Mail, promising Hoops defender Bosun Lawal is believed to be attracting notable attention from clubs in Europe, with Italian duo Pisa and Verona named as potential suitors.

The standout interested party named in the piece is Premier League outfit Brentford, with the Bees said to be 'monitoring' the 19-year-old's progress at present, ahead of the January transfer window.

The young Irishman - who has 18 months remaining on his existing deal at Parkhead - only joined the Old Firm giants from Watford during the summer of 2021.

Ajer repeat

That apparent interest from Thomas Frank's side will seemingly have a familiar feel as far as Ange Postecoglou is concerned, with the west London outfit having poached Kristoffer Ajer from Glasgow for a fee of around £13.5m just 18 months ago.

Although the Norwegian defender was a more established figure than Lawal at the time of his departure, his exit illustrated the notable pulling power of the Premier League, with clubs south of the border having regularly come calling for the Bhoys' brightest talents.

That has also been evident in the case of Scottish sensation, Ben Doak, with the winger having made the move to Liverpool earlier this year, with recent reports having also claimed that midfielder Ewan Otoo is of interest to clubs in England.

In the case of Lawal, the teenager's departure would be a particularly worrying blow due to his impressive rise through the ranks of late, with the former Hornets ace having notably been named on the bench for the recent victory over Aberdeen.

That inclusion was a sign that the towering centre-back has caught the eye of Postecoglou in recent times, having also been named as part of the first-team squad for the recent Sydney Super Cup.

The "outstanding" asset - as described by 'B' team coach Tommy McIntyre - has notably racked up five goals and two assists in just 13 games in all competitions so far this season, proving a real goal threat from his defensive berth.

The next step will now seemingly be for Lawal to truly establish himself at senior level, with the versatile ace - who can also feature in midfield - no doubt highly thought of by those at Paradise.

As Celtic found out in the case of the aforementioned Ajer, however - as well as others - it can often prove difficult for players to turn down the temptation of joining a Premier League outfit.