Celtic is arguably one of the historic clubs Scotland can boast of. With global followership and ardent home audience, it is no surprise European clubs have looked to Parkhead for some of their finest football imports.
Indeed, Celtic FC has recorded impressive player sales in its long history. The Parkhead side has acquired and subsequently made transfer deals that are expensive and record-breaking.
We will discuss in detail the five most expensive player sales Celtic recorded.
- Kieran Tierney
Kieran Tierney currently tops the list for the most expensive Scottish player. His transfer generated massive global enthusiasm, with bookmakers like bookmaker.xyz providing exciting stakes on Tierney to land in Arsenal.
The left-back joined Celtic in the 2014/15 season and has since shown his potential and remained on top of his game.
Tierney is a flexible player that has displayed his mettle since starting his professional career at 17. Tierney regularly plays on the left side of a central defensive three. He has also played right back on several occasions.
During his time at Celtic, he won several domestic matches and was instrumental in helping them win four league championships. In the 2015/16 season, he swept the PFA Scotland Young Player, SFWA, and Celtic Young Player of the Year awards. He went ahead to win them again in 2017 as well as 2018.
Arsenal signed Tierney from Celtic in the summer of 2019 for £25 million, making it one of the most expensive sales for a Scottish player. Since his record move to Arsenal, he has proven himself as a player worth. His contract was extended from June 2021 to June 2026. We hope to see more of Tierney’s dazzling moves at the Gunners club.
- Moussa Dembele
2nd on our list of most expensive Celtic sales is Moussa Dembele. Dembele, a French centre-forward, made the move in the summer of 2018. He left Celtic for Lyon for a record £19.7million and signed a five-year contract with the Ligue 1 side.
While at Celtic, Dembele built up his game, scoring goals 51 times in 94 matches. At Lyon, he racked up 45 goals in 108 appearances, a lower ratio than what he typically achieved at Celtic. He was loaned out to Atletico in the 2020/21 season and played with the likes of Luis Suarez and Joao Felix.
He is back in Lyon, but his future with the French club is largely undecided. Dembele is a great attack player. For most of his time at Lyon, he was the club’s central striker, supported by several attacking midfielders. Dembele’s major tactical strength lies in his agility, impressive acceleration, and calmness when facing a goalkeeper.
- Odsonne Edouard
Edouard started his professional football career in Paris Saint Germain (PSG) in 2014. He joined Celtic FC in the 2018 season after being on loan to the club in 2017. At Celtic, Edouard featured in 94 games, scored 57 goals, and provided 17 assists.
He had a good run at Celtic and joined Crystal Palace from the Scottish side in 2021. Palace signed the center-forward at £14 million, making him the third most expensive player sale in the Celtic FC record.
Edouard has made a good impression at Crystal Palace by starting his opening game at the Premier League side with 2 goals. As an attacking midfielder or a forward, Eduoard has earned the reputation of a goal scorer, netting the ball 43% of the time. He is also great at dribbling opponents, has ball control in tight areas, and has good composure when under pressure.
- Kristoffer Ajer
Coming close behind Edouard is Norwegian defender Kristoffer Ajer’s move to Brentford. Ajer had a good run at Celtic, which prompted the Premier League side to consider him the first choice when they need an extra central defender.
He joined Brentford on a five-year contract at £13.5 million with the possibility of the fee further rising with bonuses for a great performance. Ajer had been at Celtic since 2016, scoring 7 goals while appearing in 176 matches.
Ajer is known for being composed on the field and finding the right passes between the lines. He was Brentfords’ record signing until the club brought in Aaron Hickey at close to £14 million.
- Victor Wanyama
Kenyan defensive midfielder, Wanyanme closes our list of the most expensive player sales from Celtic. Southampton signed him for a five-year deal in 2013 for £12.5 million. In 2013, it was the highest sale ever recorded by a Scottish club; however, that record has been topped several times since then.
At Celtic, Wanyama recorded an outstanding performance, scoring a famous goal against Barcelona in the 2012/13 Champions League. Wanyama is a player with great strength, aggression, and tough tackling techniques.
He featured in 85 matches for the Saints before moving to Tottenham in 2016. He currently plays at MLS after retiring from the international scene in 2021.
From Wanyama to wonderboy Tierney, there is no argument that Scottish side Celtic is doing great with player sales consistently breaking the record. What do you think about our player list and their time at Celtic? Share your comments below, and do not forget to share on your social media.
