Bournemouth have agreed a deal to sign 16-year-old Cliftonville winger Cillian Murray. The Northern Irish youth talent will join the club's academy setup when the January transfer window opens.
The move sees Bournemouth beat rival suitors to secure the services of a prolific young forward. Murray has already made two senior appearances for Cliftonville this season, debuting in a 4-0 Co Antrim Senior Shield win in September and making his first Premiership appearance off the bench in October.
His goalscoring record at youth level is formidable. Last season he netted 28 times in 30 matches for Cliftonville's under-16 side and scored 10 goals in 23 under-18 Academy League games. This term he has scored three times in six under-20 Premiership Development League matches and found the net in the Steel & Sons Cup.
Murray also featured in the UEFA Youth League for Cliftonville and starred for Co Down at the SuperCupNI last summer, scoring in wins against Co Tyrone and Derby County. He has represented Northern Ireland up to under-17 level, starting in a European Championships qualifier against Lithuania.
Cliftonville manager Jim Magilton praised the teenager's early impact. "He makes other people come alive and had great maturity in his play," Magilton said of Murray's debut.
The signing aligns with Bournemouth's focus on developing academy talent, a commitment showed by the club achieving Category One status in July and expanding its training facilities. Murray will begin his career with Bournemouth in the new year.
The report in full is at Football Insider
