West Ham United may be preparing to tap into the Scottish Premiership for a potential bargain deal this January, with Celtic starlet Daniel Cummings reportedly on their radar, according to Fabrizio Romano.
Cummings, whose contract expires this summer, is eligible to sign a pre-contract agreement with clubs outside Scotland. While Celtic would receive compensation for developing the young talent through their academy, West Ham are said to be actively pursuing the 18-year-old striker.
Romano’s report highlights that the Hammers are keen on bringing Cummings to London, though Celtic are making efforts to retain their rising star by offering him a new deal to continue his development in the Scottish Premiership.
Despite not yet featuring for Celtic’s first team, Cummings’ performances at the youth level have captured attention. He has scored an impressive 24 goals in 24 appearances this season, including 18 goals in Scotland’s fifth tier and six in six UEFA Youth League matches.
His standout performances, including braces against Slovan Bratislava and RB Leipzig, earned him the label “unstoppable” by UEFA.
Premier League clubs, including Brighton, have also shown interest in the 6ft 1in forward. Celtic are eager to avoid losing another promising player for a nominal fee, having seen Ben Doak join Liverpool for £600,000 and Rocco Vata move to Watford for £250,000—both players already making an impact in their new clubs.
For West Ham, Cummings could address their striker shortage, as Michail Antonio is sidelined for the season following a car accident, and summer signing Niclas Füllkrug faces his third lengthy injury spell of the campaign.
Although Cummings lacks senior experience, he could follow a development path similar to Doak’s, transitioning into the first team under the guidance of Graham Potter over time.
