Celtic Tie Up Young Full-Back Colby Donovan Until 2031

Celtic have extended the contract of full-back Colby Donovan until 2031, keeping the 20-year-old at the club for the next several years. A full-back is a defender who patrols the side of the pitch and often pushes forward to join attacks.

Manager Martin O'Neill said Donovan is destined for a "very big future". BBC Sport O'Neill has also spoken highly of the young defender's attitude, describing it as "tremendous" in his dealings with the club's media.

Donovan is a Celtic fan's dream in one sense. He grew up supporting the club and now plays for it. He made his first-team debut in August 2025 and made 27 appearances in his first full season. This season he has already started 15 games. He has also played in Champions League qualifying matches, the stage that decides who reaches the group phase of Europe's biggest club competition.

His rise has come quickly. With Alistair Johnston injured, O'Neill has turned to Donovan as his first choice to cover at right-back. That gives the young player a clear role in a squad that is aiming high on several fronts.

Donovan also earned his first call-up to the Scotland squad in September. Scotland's manager, Sebastien Pocognoli, named him in the group for the Nations League, a competition between national teams that runs alongside the qualifying campaigns for major tournaments. He did not play in any of Scotland's four matches in that competition. Being named in a squad still counts for a lot for a player at his stage, and O'Neill praised him after the call-up was announced.

Contract extensions for young players often matter as much to the club as to the player. Locking a 20-year-old into a deal to 2031 gives Celtic security over a defender who already knows the dressing room and the Celtic Park crowd. It also gives Donovan a clear base from which to push for more minutes and, perhaps, more caps for Scotland.

The next step is simple to describe and hard to achieve. He needs to keep the shirt on a regular basis, which means proving himself week after week in matches that matter. Those are the games where a young full-back either settles in or drifts out of the picture.

For now, the message from the club is clear. Celtic believe Colby Donovan is part of their future, and the contract is the proof.