Paying over the odds for a player is a frequent thing for clubs in the professional game these days.
(Look at what Wolves paid for Fabio Silva for a good example of it.)
Parting with a considerable sum to bring in a player doesn’t always guarantee success as Celtic’s signings of Vasilis Barkas and Albian Ajeti attest to.
The necessity of shopping around
Perhaps this isn’t just a problem in modern football but more a symptom of the way of the world in 2024 where it does feel like being short-changed is the norm.
At least, if you don’t shop around for value then you’re unlikely to find it.
Whether comparing prices across different airlines for the most affordable flights, negotiating with various insurers to secure competitive rates for car insurance, or browsing online casino platforms for the best no wagering bonuses to get started. In virtually every aspect, it is an ongoing challenge to constantly seek out the best value for money that is hard-earned.
As touched on, avoiding being hoodwinked in the current climate of modern football which is dominated by extortionate agent fees and distorted price tags is equally as testing and requires a discerning touch in the transfer market.
However, it’s not an altogether impossible task and there’s no better example of that than Matt O’Riley’s arrival from MK Dons in January 2022 for £1.5 million.
Matt O'Riley – Midfield Maestro ?#cinchPrem | @CelticFC pic.twitter.com/rBa2xUheb9
— SPFL (@spfl) April 24, 2024
Slightly more than two years on from the signing of the Dane, there is a strong argument to be made in favour of O’Riley being the best value-for-money player in Celtic’s history.
O’Riley’s trophy-winning impact at Celtic Park
A quick look at O’Riley’s stats reinforces the idea that the 23-year-old is the ultimate bargain buy with the attacking midfielder scoring 22 and assisting 32 in just 115 appearances for the Hoops as of late April 2024.
Furthermore, O’Riley has driven Celtic forward and subsequently won everything there is to win in Scottish football in a little over 24 months with two league titles, the Scottish Cup and the Scottish League Cup to his name.
Matt O'Riley is your @scottishgas Player of the Match ? ?#ScottishCup pic.twitter.com/1bIpguun42
— Scottish Gas Scottish Cup (@ScottishCup) April 20, 2024
In particular, without the Dane’s vision and industry in the final third this season, Celtic might not have the advantage in the title race with only a handful of fixtures left in the current campaign.
O’Riley sale will ensure Bhoys continue to sit at the summit of SPFL
Every Celtic fan will know that the club has a Herculean battle on its hands to keep O’Riley this summer with interest in the midfielder widespread on the continent.
Celtic have already batted away a transfer fee of £18 million from Atletico Madrid and it’s unlikely the club will sanction a mover for anything less than £30 million. Should this be the case and notwithstanding the add-ons that MK Dons will be due, Celtic will make over £25 million profit on the Dane.
It will be an extraordinary fee to recoup when you consider that such significant profits are normally only made when selling homegrown players from a club’s youth academy.
And while no one connected with Celtic will want to see the back of O’Riley who has become a fan favourite, the pain of inevitably losing him will be softened by a mammoth transfer fee that will help the Bhoys build for a future of continued silverware.
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