For all the discourse over Celtic’s transfer business in the recent summer transfer window, the board certainly backed Brendan Rodgers in the market last year.
Adam Idah was signed on a permanent deal from Norwich City in a move that was worth up to a club-record fee of £9.5m at the time, potentially eclipsing the £9m paid to sign Odsonne Edouard from Paris Saint-Germain.
However, the Ireland international did not get the chance to become the club’s most expensive signing, because the Hoops shelled out £11m to sign Arne Engels in a club-record deal from Augsburg later that summer.
12 months later, Idah was sold to Swansea City in a deal worth up to £7m, with Celtic taking a loss on the striker, and Engels has started two of the club’s seven games in the Scottish Premiership and Champions League so far this season.
That may be why the board were reluctant to splash the cash on expensive transfer fees for new players this summer, but they were still able to bring in a high-profile addition to bolster the squad.
The first signing of the summer transfer window for Celtic was the arrival of Kieran Tierney on a free transfer from Arsenal to replace Greg Taylor.
Why Kieran Tierney is a high-profile signing for Celtic
Tierney arrived at Parkhead this summer as a high-profile signing for the Scottish giants because of his history with the club and the level he has played at over the past six years.
The Scotland international came through the youth ranks in Glasgow before breaking into the Celtic first-team as their first-choice left-back for a number of years.
As you can see in the graphic above, he won five Scottish Premiership titles and provided a big threat at the top end of the pitch as a creator from a left-back berth during his first spell with the club.
Tierney joined Arsenal in a club-record £25m sale in 2019. He racked up 144 appearances in all competitions for the Premier League giants, per Transfermarkt, but his career in England was heavily disrupted by injuries.
The Scottish defender missed at least 17 matches through injury in six of the last seven seasons, per Transfermarkt, which is why he did not play even more games for the Gunners.
His return to Celtic on a free transfer this summer was, therefore, a high-profile one because of his success at Parkhead in the past and the fact that he played over 100 games for a club of Arsenal’s size despite his injury issues.
Appearances
4
Starts
3
Key passes
4
Big chances created
2
Assists
1
Ground duel success rate
73%
As you can see in the table above, Tierney has brought his creative flair back with him to Glasgow, with two ‘big chances’ created in two starts in the league already this season.
Whilst the Scottish star is an exciting and high-profile signing for the club, the Hoops are reportedly looking at a potential winter move for a player who would be an even bigger signing than him.
Celtic eyeing move for Premier League forward
According to FootballTransfers, Celtic are weighing up a move to sign Chelsea outcast Raheem Sterling when the January transfer window opens for business at the start of next year.
The report claims that the Hoops are considering a loan swoop for the England international to provide him with a chance to reunite with former manager Brendan Rodgers.
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It adds that the Scottish giants would be willing to contribute up to £50k-per-week in wages to sign the forward on loan, but he is said to be on £300k-per-week at Stamford Bridge.
FootballTransfers claims that the deal would only be financially viable if Chelsea are prepared to cover the other £250k-per-week. It remains to be seen whether or not that would be something that they are willing to do.
Sterling has been frozen out by Enzo Maresca, who has confirmed that there is no chance that the winger will be back in his squad, and the Blues are looking to shed his wages in January.
This means that a loan move to Celtic, even if they are only willing to cover £50k-per-week, could save Chelsea some money, unless another team comes to the table and are willing to cover more of the forward’s wages.
Why Sterling would be a bigger signing than Tierney for Celtic
Sterling making the move up to Glasgow to sign for Celtic, even on loan, would be bigger than the deal to sign Tierney on a free transfer, because of his reputation and the career that he has had.
The 30-year-old forward has won four Premier League titles, five League Cups, and one FA Cup in his career for Liverpool, Manchester City, Chelsea, and Arsenal combined, per Transfermarkt, which shows that he has been a winner at the very top level.
Tierney, however, only won one FA Cup during his time in England, along with two Community Shields, which shows that Sterling had way more success down south.
The experienced forward did not score a goal in the Premier League on loan at Arsenal last season, as he only started seven times, per Sofascore, but his overall record in the division shows that he has the potential to bring immense quality to Parkhead.
He is a proven performer in the league who has delivered quality on the left and the right wing, particularly for Liverpool and Manchester City, before ending up in his current situation.m
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4
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10
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12
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7
7
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6
2
14/15 (35)
7
7
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5
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11/12 (3)
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As you can see in the table above, Sterling has had many seasons with plenty of goals and assists in the Premier League throughout his long career in the English top-flight.
It was only the season before last that the 30-year-old star almost hit double figures for both goals and assists for Chelsea, which shows that last season’s struggles do not mean that he is completely finished as a player.
This is why the England international, who has scored 20 goals for the Three Lions, would be a big signing for the Hoops, because he has the potential to be an incredible winger in the Premiership.
His relationship with Rodgers, having scored 23 goals in 126 games for him at Liverpool, per Transfermarkt, also shows that he would be working with a manager who knows how to utilise his talent.
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Therefore, Sterling would be an even bigger signing than Tierney for Celtic because of his success down south and the quality that he could provide in the final third in Glasgow.