Celtic are preparing for a massive summer transfer window full of incomings and departures, regardless of whether Brendan Rodgers can secure a double or not.
After the failings of the recruitment team under the watch of Mark Lawwell, it is imperative that Celtic get the summer transfers right, especially if they are aiming to match the manager's initial ambitions of being more competitive in Europe.
Last summer, Celtic wasted a lot of money on players who failed to improve the starting XI. This becomes even more concerning when you consider that key first-team starters, Carl Starfelt and Jota, had to be replaced.
If the club are to improve their team at the end of this season, they will have to invest heavily. With that said, the big question is what sort of budget will Celtic be prepared to set for player acquisitions?
ACSOM is coming to Dunoon for the first time next month. Click on the flyer below to secure your tickets!
£6.8m for Jeremie Frimpong
Celtic played a pivotal role in the career development of Jeremie Frimpong, turning the Dutch full-back from someone who hadn't played a single minute of professional football into a promising talent, ready to star in one of the best leagues in Europe.
Frimpong has become one of the best full-backs on the European stage under Xabi Alonso, and naturally his signature has become much sought-after.
The 23-year-old has played a key role in Leverkusen's historic Bundesliga title win, and with a £34m summer release clause in his contract, Celtic could be set to bank a sizeable chunk of the profit, having inserted a 30% sell-on clause into Frimpong's contract.
Frimpong's sale could net Celtic an impressive £6.8m on top of the £11.5m the club commanded back in 2021. That would equate to an overall profit of around £18m for a player who cost the club just £350k from Manchester City five years ago.
£30m from 2023/24 Champions League
Celtic's participation in the Champions League was always going to prove fruitful, and the Hoops outperformed last season's points tally and the financial reward that comes with it.
The club have netted just shy of £30m from their Champions League endeavours, with the Hoops also raking in cash from the coefficient payout as well as the TV cash pool.
As far as results go, a cool £1m was bagged from the home draw against Atlético Madrid. Gustaf Lagerbielke's last-minute winner against Feyenoord, meanwhile, added an additional £2.5m to the coffers.
Next season's Champions League riches are nothing short of ground-breaking for the Scottish champions. This income stream is unrivalled within the financially-stretched confines of Scottish football, and banking this bounty three years running should make the league winners difficult, if not impossible, to compete with.
£25m for Matt O'Riley
Matt O'Riley has been Celtic's star performer this season, popping up in pivotal moments as well as turning in man-of-the-match performances in the Champions League against eventual quarter-finalists Atlético Madrid.
Naturally, due to these high-profile performances, interest in the Dane has been widespread, and it was reported by Fabrizio Romano that Celtic will be looking for a club record fee should O'Riley leave Glasgow this summer.
That would exceed the fees received for Jota and Kieran Tierney, netting Celtic over £25m.
£10m for Liel Abada
Israel international, Liel Abada, became Ange Postecoglou's third signing when the 19-year-old joined Celtic from Maccabi Petah Tikva on a five-year contract in 2021.
The transfer fee was reported at the time as £3.5m, with Abada going on to play an important role in Postecoglou securing a double and a treble during his time at the club.
There was a sense of inevitability when Abada moved to MLS side Charlotte FC in March 2024, with Sky Sports reporting the fee at £10m. This transfer followed weeks of speculation after Abada was left out of the first-team squad by Brendan Rodgers for not being in the right frame of mind during the ongoing Middle East crisis.
Everything looks set for Celtic to have a war-chest to splash out this summer, but how much will be set aside?
In the summer of 2023, Celtic made a profit of £12.09m after £18.73m was spent and £30.82m was recouped. This time round, the strategy has to change if the club is to make any kind of European progress.
The level of quality brought in will be a clear indication of the board's ambition. Let's hope it has been aligned to the aspirations of Brendan Rodgers and many amongst the Celtic support.
James McKenzie // @JamesWHMcKenzie