Brendan Rodgers has always maintained his first few weeks at Celtic would be one of assessment. He’s had a good look at the squad available to him, their strengths and weaknesses and how they might fit into his plans going forward.
The manager has shared that he’s already had tough conversations with some of them, while others will no doubt have been made aware they are central to his future plans and ambitions.
Along the way, players have been brought in. Two are officially on the books, while another duo from South Korea are set to be confirmed by the club shortly. These talents were all identified long before Rodgers returned to the management role and all fit similar profiles – young players who have excelled in their own countries that can be improved by the Bhoys.
How much are Celtic spending in the summer window?
While none of them were signed for big money by the Scottish champions’ standards, the total spend across the summer so far is creeping up. Going by reports, Celtic have already made an outlay of over £7m, which may be a surprising figure for some fans.
Odin Thiago Holm has been the most expensive to date. The Times reported the fee for the young Norwegian midfielder was around £2.5m, as Celtic look to make good on the potential he has shown since his teenage years.
Gangwon FC’s chief also confirmed the fee that the Bhoys paid for winger Yang Hyun-jun. He told reporters in South Korea that the South Korean young player of the year cost £2.15m.
With Marco Tilio said to have cost an Australian export record fee of £1.5m [Glasgow Times] and Kwon set to arrive for around £1m, the total quickly racks up beyond that £7m mark.
Celtic can afford to pay this kind of money on players with potential these days. With the club enjoying record revenue, another season of Champions League cash on the way and the giant sale of Jota, there’s a chance the Bhoys go on to spend double or even triple the amount shelled out so far.
After that period of assessment, Rodgers and the recruitment are now entering a new phase of the window, looking for players who can directly improve the first-team match squad. That won’t be cheap, likely.
Just look at moves for Cameron Carter-Vickers and Jota in recent years – they were significant moves and cost big fees. But they were also smart acquisitions that brought success and in the case of one of them made the club a large profit.
It’s these kinds of deals that fans are now waiting on the club to make between now and the end of August. Having already shown over the last few weeks that money will be spent, it’s time to see the full potential of this club’s transfer reach after exceptional revenue generation.
In other news, How much Viaplay are worth to Celtic and Scottish football; immediate concerns addressed.
Receive a digest of our best Celtic content each week direct to your mailbox
