Liverpool sign Scottish-Nigerian defender Dara Jikiemi from Celtic Youth

Scottish-Nigerian centre-back Dara Jikiemi has joined Liverpool U18 from Celtic Youth, completing a move to the English club on 31 August 2026.

Jikiemi, 16, will continue his development with Liverpool’s under-18 side, which competes in the U18 Premier League. The defender’s arrival brings him into an English youth competition after his involvement in Scotland’s Lowland League.

Before switching to Liverpool, Jikiemi was with Celtic Youth. He made four appearances in the Lowland League, playing 226 minutes during the 2025-26 campaign. His move to Liverpool represents a change of club and league at the beginning of the 2026-27 season.

The teenager is eligible to represent both Scotland and Nigeria through his nationality. He has been listed primarily as a centre-back, the position in which he has featured during his development.

Jikiemi’s transfer was registered on 31 August, with Liverpool U18 recorded as his new club and Celtic Youth as the side he left. The move places him within Liverpool’s youth structure and gives him a place in the club’s under-18 squad for the new season.

Liverpool’s academy setup has now added a defender who arrives with experience of senior-level football in Scotland’s Lowland League, despite still being 16. Jikiemi’s four appearances at that level came before his move to England, providing the recorded competitive background for his transition to the U18 Premier League.

The transfer also marks a step from Celtic’s youth system into Liverpool’s development pathway. Jikiemi’s playing position remains centre-back, while his Scottish and Nigerian nationality gives him an international background spanning both countries.

No contract length has been disclosed for the move, and no transfer fee has been recorded. The transfer was completed on 31 August 2026, with Jikiemi joining Liverpool U18 from Celtic Youth.