Celtic have once again sold one of their players and in doing so they’ve made a handsome profit.

The Scottish market isn’t as expensive as others in Europe, but Celtic have found a system that means that they find players at a certain price, develop them and the sell on for more money than they bought them for in the first place.

With each successful player that leaves Parkhead, the more chance that they’ll get better deals in the future.

This time the Hoops have sold Stuart Armstrong to Southampton for a fee believed to be in the region of £7m. They signed the Inverness native from Dundee United three and a half season ago. Dundee United will get 10% of the profit Celtic make on this sale, so it’s good news for the Tannadice side too.

Now the Scottish Premiership champions have received bigger fees, ironically from Southampton, in the past but this deal still represents a coup for Brendan Rodgers‘ side.

Last summer, Armstrong was linked with a move away, as he only had a year left on his contract. Talk at the time suggested West Bromwich Albion were front-runners and willing to spend £4m on the Scotland international twelve months ago.

Instead of doing any deals, Celtic and Armstrong agreed a new one year extension to his contract and that has led to a bigger fee this time around. Not bad when you consider that the attacking midfielder didn’t play as many games last season as he had done previously and also didn’t score nearly as many goals as he had managed during Brendan’s first year in charge at Celtic.

You then have to factor in that Callum McGregor excelled last term, scoring twelve goals, and that another top attacking midfield performer Tom Rogic has just signed a new five year contract to stay at Parkhead. Those two players played more for Celtic last term and Armstrong (who had injury issues) struggled to become an automatic starter again.

Essentially the Scottish double treble winners have sold a squad player for £7m and that’s unheard of in Scotland’s top flight.

Now Southampton fans shouldn’t think they’ve got a bad player, that’s not true at all. He has a keen eye for goal, makes good runs, is always on the lookout to make key passes and works hard for the team. So he’ll give his all for the Saints cause.

The Glasgow giants broke their own transfer record when they signed French youngster Odsonne Edouard for £9m from PSG. The striker spent last season on loan at Celtic Park and looked a great prospect.

He’ll no doubt get more game time in the upcoming season and if he reaches his potential then Hoops Chief Executive Peter Lawwell will find other club’s offering big money for Edouard in the future.

Now people will call Celtic a selling club, personally I think they’re smarter than that.

They invest properly and then sell for a premium price given the market that they are in. It’s not an easy thing to do, if it was then every side in Scotland would be doing it!

Posted on June 27th, 2018 by scott
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