County seal loan swoop for Celtic youngster

NORWEGIAN youngster Leo Hjelde has joined Ross County on loan from Celtic until the end of the season.

The 17-year-old left-sided defender moved to Glasgow from Rosenborg in June 2019 and has just put pen to paper on an extended contract with the Parkhead club.

Staggies manager John Hughes said: “Leo is a good young player that will see this spell as a key part of his development.

“I think it is important that in addition to the experience we have, we add young, hungry talent in to the side that are eager to go out there and go toe-to-toe with some of the best players in this league.

“Some people will look at it and say he is young and he is a risk, but sometimes you have to thrive on that. I know Leo will.”

County also confirmed that during the suspension of League One, Blair Spittal, who was on loan at Partick Thistle, has come back to Dingwall to train with the Staggies squad.

Meanwhile, Jermaine Hylton revealed he has an extra incentive to do well against Rangers this afternoon.

Hylton, 27, can recall Gerrard helping Liverpool to their dramatic Champions League final win in 2005 when they beat AC Milan 3-2 in a penalty shoot-out after coming from three goals down at half-time.

Hylton, who signed for County last October from Motherwell, said: “I am a Liverpool fan since I was about eight or nine.

“I knew absolutely nothing about the game and just supported them because my friend did and it stuck.

“He [Gerrard] has always been someone I have looked up to.

“I remember the Champions League final when we went down to Milan and we came back and I have gone running outside down the road in the middle of the night.

“He has been big in my household and it is always nice to go and challenge yourself against people you look up to.”