---
title: "Celtic: McLeish tips Leeds to make Hjelde move"
canonical: "https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/celtic-mcleish-tips-leeds-to-make-hjelde-move/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Charlie Smith"
section: "Celtic News"
published: "2021-04-16T19:35:14Z"
modified: "2021-04-16T19:35:14Z"
---

# Celtic: McLeish tips Leeds to make Hjelde move

**Leeds United may look to reignite their interest in Celtic defender Leo Hjelde this summer.**

That’s the views of former Scotland boss Alex McLeish, talking to [Football Insider](https://www.footballinsider247.com/leeds-tipped-to-swoop-for-next-van-dijk-after-manager-confirms-interest-pundit/) after Ross County manager John Hughes [revealed](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/56732009) the Whites “were after” the teenage centre-back prior to his loan move to County in January.

The 17-year-old, [capable of playing as a centre-back or as a left-back](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/leo-fuhr-hjelde/profil/spieler/661208), has impressed Hughes, turning out on [nine occasions in recent months, scoring once](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/leo-fuhr-hjelde/leistungsdaten/spieler/661208).

\[freshpress-quiz id=”350784″\]

Hjelde, who stands at [6 foot 1](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/leo-fuhr-hjelde/profil/spieler/661208), is under contract at Celtic Park until [2022](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/leo-fuhr-hjelde/profil/spieler/661208), and McLeish believes Marcelo Bielsa’s side could return for the Norwegian, claiming he could become a ‘terrific’ centre-back.

> “Yeah, Leeds could. Scotland’s been a good hunting ground for a few of the big clubs.
>
> “Celtic have, over the years, done good business with players like van Dijk. He’s not the only one they’ve sold for a big fee at the end of his Celtic career.
>
> “If John’s young kid keeps progressing, his loanee, then there’s no doubting he can become another terrific foreign centre-half.
>
> “It seems to be, over the years, the top teams in Scotland have gone for foreign centre-halves.”

\[freshpress-poll id=”351881″\]

### Transfer Tavern take

Celtic appear to be losing a number of talented youngsters, and with Hjelde previously wanted by the Whites, we wouldn’t be surprised if the teenager moved on.

[Liam Hughes](https://www.thisisanfield.com/2021/02/liverpool-complete-signing-of-teenage-celtic-goalkeeper/) joined Liverpool earlier this year, while [Vincent Angelini](https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-transfer-news/vincent-angelini-offered-celtic-transfer-23749084) and [Karamoko Dembele](https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-transfer-news/karamoko-dembele-set-celtic-exit-23387341) look set for summer exits.

Hjelde may well be the next to look towards a Parkhead exit, and a move to Yorkshire could see him link up with Leeds’ talented Under-23 side with a view to progress into Bielsa’s first-team plans down the line.

Considering Hughes’ [glowing praise](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/56732009) of the youngster, this would certainly be a blow for Celtic if they lost the chance to develop him into a more expensive player before selling, something they did so successfully with Virgil van Dijk and countless others.

***In other news: Celtic source shares huge off-field update regarding 57 y/o; massive 2020 blunder rears its head, find out more [here](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/celtic-news/celtic-penrice-set-for-hoops-exit/).***