One of the most controversial aspects of Celtic’s transfer policy in recent years revolves around the concepts of value and worth.
When we think about signing a football player, what comes to mind when we talk about value and worth? Is it how much a player costs, how much we can sell them for, or is it about what they contribute to the team and how they elevate its performance?
Celtic’s approach to value and worth has evolved differently from other sides in that it has started to progress down a narrow economic road.
For years, fans have pondered over a critical question that only becomes more pertinent as time passes: what truly defines a player’s value and worth to the club, and how does that differ from what those words from the point of view of the fans?
Take Henrik Larsson, for instance. One of the greatest servants in Celtic’s history, Larsson’s talent brought not only goals and victories but memories, glorious incredible memories, and it raised our team to heights it never would have without him.
We know there were what even at the time would have been lucrative offers from England, Spain, and elsewhere; the gap between what those clubs could offer and what Celtic could provide was immense. It would have been wider now, in the modern era, but let’s not pretend we could have topped the wages on offer at a top club who’d made a move back then.
Would we have kept Larsson if an offer deemed too good to refuse had come in? It’s a question that haunts us because, even at £600,000, his signing was the deal of the century.
Larsson’s fee is often cited as a benchmark, a mythical ideal that the club believes can be replicated—a legend discovered for a nominal fee, delivering immense value on the pitch, and eventually sold for a substantial profit.
However, this isn’t the measure of value that matters to the fans.
Kyogo Furuhashi’s £4.5 million signing three years ago is a classic case in point. His goals and performances have been instrumental in winning three titles and qualifying for the Champions League, more than repaying his transfer fee.
You ask fans if they believe that if he stays and completes his contract, leaving on a free transfer, that Celtic would still have gotten immense value from the deal, and the answer can only be yes. His contribution on the pitch justifies the expenditure, regardless of whether or not we ever sell him on. Not every player needs to net us a vast profit.
Matt O’Riley represents similar value. Signed for a nominal transfer fee, his crucial goals and assists played a significant role in Celtic’s recent successes. Without O’Riley, it’s doubtful that Celtic would be defending champions right now. Between goals and assists, he was responsible for over 30 goals last season, and they were pivotal in the team’s overall success.
When evaluating a player like O’Riley, the board might see value in economic terms—buying cheap, performing well, and selling at a profit.
However, to fans, value is about the player’s impact on the pitch.
Larsson’s years of service and countless goals were invaluable, as are Kyogo’s contributions. O’Riley’s assists and goals are similarly crucial, and his overall performances mark him out as one of the best midfielders at Celtic Park in the last decade.
At least three Premier League clubs are now showing real interest in O’Riley, and so it’s not for nothing that fans worry that the club will sell him for a profit rather than appreciate his on-field contributions. That’s where is value lies. That’s what his real worth is.
It is this debate over the two conflicting views over what those words mean that will continue to haunt this club far into the future.
Ultimately, this debate lies at the heart of everything that is wrong with the transfer policy. Our unwillingness to buy players over 25 is based on the difficulties inherent in selling them on for a substantial profit.
Strength on the balance sheet takes precedence over strength on the team-sheet, and I know that it’s more complicated than that because some of these guys will want to go anyway and chase the big bucks … but it’s the players we don’t even try for or those who we don’t even try to keep, which lie at the heart of the perception that we’re never moving forward.
No signing for Celtic should ever be measured solely by his potential resale value, but on the basis on what he brings to the team; consistent performances, goals, assists, his ability to deliver when it matters, and how that impacts on the team’s success.
Because that’s where you’ll find the value in a piece of transfer business. That’s it’s worth to Celtic, and if our board was a little more understanding of that concept this club would not currently be scrambling about looking for players whilst the fans sweat on the sale of one of our current first team stars.
Larsson was happy to stay until he turned 33. I am not sure he would have in these times of crazy cash floating about. I think about Jota. That guy will be hugely wealthy for the rest of his life. Is that worth more than titles? I guess to many it would be.
That’s not to say Henrik left Celtic a relative pauper and ended up pulling pints in Bairds like one of our recently departed Lisbon Lions. But everyone has their price and Henrik, I am sure, would have been off to the EPL long before he hit 30 if he was playing today.
The Celtic board’s responsibility to the fans is to facilitate ensuring that they have a team to watch first and foremost. When you consider where we were 30 years ago and the plight of so many debt riddled clubs we see today, I think they have done their job well. Money in the bank might not suit some who want Celtic to fork out on big names. But these are big names who might get 8 games in the CL, 4 Glasgow derbies and that’s it.
Let’s be serious here. When the CL automatic qualification ends, that cash could come in very handy. And I mean handy in terms of keeping Celtic out of trouble. There might be better ways to make money but, as we all know, they will probably carry a much higher element of risk.
That because you have been brainwashed into believing that and the more simple minded that the board spin that line to will accept that.
What? LOL!
Roonsa even if we only get 8 games in CL ,are you not concerned that it may be 8 scuddings,I know we can’t spend big but surely we can do a bit better when recruiting half decent instead of projects,and remember there’s been many times even recently when much smaller teams than Celtic have aquitted themselves well at CL level.as it stands we have possibly 70 million in the bank,plus 30 million guaranteed CL money are you saying we can’t spend 30 million and try and make Celtic a team to be feared at parkhead fortress again because as we are I’m sure most euro sides will be rubbing their hands at the thought of meeting us, remember this team is down on last year’s CL side and you see how poor we were,only sevco have been worse.
To supporters he is priceless. Best player in Scotland. If sold there is no way our club will sign someone of his current ability to replace him.
On a side note Miovski looks good tonight despite only having 45 minutes of action this season. 5 million would secure him, make it happen Celtic.
Miovski was crap tonight,dunno what game you were watching
James,we would all love Matt to stay ,but if the rumors are true about a move to Brighton Jesus Brighton,if he goes there no WINNERS medals any more unless he was to move again,what a downward step imo.
If Henrik Larsson had been on Celtics books today,he’d be gone… SOLD. Infact the team that went to Seville would all be sold off by this money grabbing board led by billionaire McDermond Desmond. I’m so disappointed because I’m convinced Rogers is getting paid enough money to keep his mouth shut, he’s part of this as well. If we had any vision of playing and competing in the Champions league it’s not going to happen anytime soon. Not with this lot, I’m so disappointed
Henrik was a rare breed in that he chose loyalty to the club & honoured his contract despite interest from some of the biggest teams in Europe.
The fact he went on to achieve so much at Barcelona & Man United after leaving us in such a short time shows the quality he had.
I don’t think you really get players with that mentality any more due to the money being thrown around & you also have the issue of agents in their ears now pushing them to move because they will get a huge kick back off it.
I wouldn’t begrudge MOR moving to Brighton to be honest. He would fit right into their style of play & likely would be at a top top team within 2 seasons. Everyone including Brighton would know they are likely just the next step in his career. We got him cheap & will make huge profit on him, Brighton will see the potential for him to grow & make profit also it’s the way they operate that club. Look at Cucurella, Caicedo etc. They have no loyalties to players if the profit is there & the reason for this is because they have great recruitment for having a replacement in already. This is where we flounder as a club. The reason we are so desperate as fans to hold on to these players is because there is no confidence that the replacement will fill the boots.
I’d love our club to show some ambition & build on what we have but we have seen enough to know that is not going to happen. Domestic domination & a flutter in Europe is what we will get for the foreseeable at best.
All we can hope is that the board show there strength of negotiation & secure a significant sell on because we could sell him for £25-30m now & if he continues to grow as a player on his current trajectory with a 20% sell on we could be looking at another £10-15m.
I also think back to Rodgers first time round the players he signed who were perceived flops but they done wonders for us the likes of Scotty Sinclair etc. Surely we should be looking at some of that irk to bring in senior professionals to the dressing room.
Bringing Rodgers in should have us exploiting his relationships with players down south. Like we have successfully done with Kasper.
Can’t really increase in financial terms without doing it on the pitch.