EXCLUSIVE By Pete O’Rourke

Celtic youngster Liam Morrison has agreed to join Bayern Munich after the German club won a legal battle for his signature, Football Insider understands.

As revealed by Football Insider last month, the German giants have been working on a deal to prise the Scotland youth international, 16, from Parkhead and that he was on the verge of agreeing terms with them after being offered a contract.

A Celtic source has told Football Insider that the club’s hopes of keeping hold of Morrison, who has one year to run on his youth registration, have failed.

Bayern and Morrison’s representatives legally challenged the youth registration successfully and Celtic have been forced to let the player leave for Germany.

The teenage centre-back has agreed personal terms with the Bundesliga champions and will put pen to paper on a deal.

Celtic will only receive minimal compensation for the rising-star defender as he has taken advantage of cross-border regulations to make the move.

His departure is a massive blow for Celtic as they have had high hopes for the teenager, who has been capped by Scotland at Under-17 level and is regarded as one of the outstanding players in their youth set-up.

He has made his mind up to became the latest in an increasingly long line of British rising stars to head to the Bundesliga.

A more senior Scottish defender, David Bates, swapped Rangers for Germany when he signed for Hamburg on a free transfer last year.

But Morrison’s imminent transfer is far more remarkable, given his age and that he is wanted by the biggest club in the country and one of the elite ones in the world.

In other Celtic news, it can be REVEALED that the club are plotting a raid to sign a £15million star who has a brilliant goalscoring record.