First-team spot is Morgan’s aim

LEWIS Morgan insists he is going to Celtic to claim a place in Brendan Rodgers’ team.

The 21-year-old clinched a £300,000 switch to Parkhead in January but was sent back to former club St Mirren to see out the season.

Now having been named Ladbrokes Championship Player of the Year after leading the Buddies’ title charge, the new Scotland call-up is setting his sights on a starting slot with the double-treble winners.

Morgan knows the stepup from the Championship to potentially playing in the Champions League is huge but the confident winger is backing himself to make the leap.

“Since I signed a deal in January I’ve been champing at the bit to get going,” he said.

“We have a few weeks off then we’ll be ready to go for pre-season. I’m really looking forward to it.

“I’ve got to look up to guys likes Callum McGregor and James Forrest who’ve broken through here and become part of the first team.

“The manager has got an ethos of bringing through young players and making sure they’re mainstays of his team. You can see how successful they have been and how many homegrown lads were part of that – that was definitely a selling point for me.

“Hopefully I can be the next one.

“That is definitely achievable. I wouldn’t have signed otherwise. The manager’s brought me here for a reason, so it’s up to myself to get into the team.

“The boys have been doing so well and I need to respect the fact I might need to bide my time.

“But when my chance comes I need to take it.

“All being well going back out on loan won’t be the case and I can kick on.”

Lewis Morgan won Championship Player of the Year.