Martin O'Neill believes that the loan to Celtic is a critical stage in the development of Shumaira Meuka. The 18-year-old Chelsea striker has already made a noticeable impact in his limited appearances on the pitch and is continuing to gain experience at the senior level.
Meuka has played five matches for Celtic since coming off the bench. In a September clash against St Mirren, he even found the net, but unfortunately, the goal was ruled out for offside.
During the recent international break, the forward also grabbed two goals for the England U20 national team.
Ahead of the match against Motherwell, O'Neill highlighted the young player’s development:
I think he has done very well in the short spells he has had.
What’s particularly encouraging is that this lad really wants to play. He has shown well for the national side too, so this experience is certainly beneficial for him.
The manager also stressed that the loan should be valuable not just for the player, but for the club as well.
I want this to be an excellent experience for us too. I believe it will be. He can definitely help us.
O'Neill is confident that Meuka will continue to improve:
You can count on him. He will definitely get better.
There are small things he needs to work on, like shifting the ball faster and choosing different directions when moving.
But overall, he has a definite future ahead of him. It’s clear Chelsea think so too, having recently extended his contract.
Meuka signed a new five-year deal with Chelsea last month before heading out on loan to Celtic.
This season should be a significant test for the London club, to see how quickly the 18-year-old forward can adapt to regular senior football.
