Celtic Academy graduate Dane Murray said signing a new contract with Celtic has been a dream come true and the young defender is hopeful of establishing himself in the senior squad after being called up to train with the first-team.

Murray recently signed a new contract with the club that will see him remain with Celtic until at least the summer of 2024. The 17-year-old defender was first scouted by Celtic as a six-year-old and has steadily worked his way up through the ranks of the Academy.

He signed his first professional contract in June 2019 before receiving a new contract in January last year.

The Hoops defender was delighted to secure his future with the club for the next three years and said having the chance to train with the first-team has left him hungry for more.

“It’s brilliant to sign a new deal,” said Murray in an exclusive interview with Celtic TV. “It’s what you dream of growing up. I’ve been in and about football my whole and it’s something you dream of.

“It’s been brilliant to train with the first-team. To come from the under-18s at the start of the season to this is amazing.

“Everything about your game comes on more when you train with the first-team. The standard and intensity are much higher. Everyone helps you along every step of the way and they’re constantly giving you information. They just want the best for you really.

'It makes you want to be here training with them every single day so you can try and establish yourself.'

Murray admitted there was no shortage of inspiration around him as an aspiring defender and said he hoped to continue progressing all the way to the first-team.

“You’ve got Darren, Mic and the manager and they all just want the best for you. They’re always trying to help you and coach you because they want you to improve all the time.

“You also have Kris Ajer who came in at 17 and look at him now. The change he’s made has been brilliant and then you have the club captain Scott Brown. What he’s done in his career has been brilliant and I can only hope for even half of that.

“Over the next few months my aim is to try and get myself in and about the squad more and then over the next few years it’s to try and establish myself in the team.”

Dane Murray excited for more after experiencing first-team training