Kyogo Furuhashi netted twice in the first half, while substitute Adam Idah added a goal in the second, with Brendan Rodgers’ forwards contributing half of the team’s tally. Kyogo doubled his season’s goal count, having previously scored only twice in all competitions, but missed three key opportunities, bringing his total to ten missed chances in the Premiership.
Idah, now with four goals in his last three appearances, is aiming to challenge Kyogo for a regular spot in the starting lineup.
Celtic invested £8.5m to sign the young striker from Norwich City on a permanent deal during the summer transfer window, reflecting their belief in his potential. However, the Hoops haven’t always had great success with signing promising, yet-to-develop centre-forwards, with Vakoun Bayo being a prime example.
Celtic paid a reported £2m for Bayo, signing him from Dunajska Streda in January 2019 to serve as Odsonne Edouard’s backup, similar to how Idah is now supporting Kyogo. Bayo had impressed by scoring 22 goals and providing nine assists in 32 matches for the Slovakian side, which convinced Celtic to make the £2m investment. However, after his move to Glasgow, Bayo made just one appearance in all competitions during the second half of the 2018/19 season as he adapted to his new surroundings.
Despite his success in France, Celtic sold Bayo to Belgian side Gent for £1.4m in the summer of 2021, taking a financial hit after his struggles on the pitch for the club saw his value drop. This sale marked a disappointing end to his time at Celtic, as they failed to recoup their initial £2m investment.
Interestingly, Celtic’s fortunes might have been different, as the club reportedly scouted Erling Haaland before signing Bayo. In the summer of 2018, Celtic scouts watched Haaland in action for Molde during a Europa League qualifier against Glenavon. At the time, the 18-year-old Norwegian was on the radar of several European clubs, including Hearts, having scored four goals in five Europa League qualifiers and 12 in 25 league matches during the 2018 season.
However, Celtic chose not to pursue their interest in the teenage Erling Haaland, allowing RB Salzburg to snap him up for a fee of £4.5m in January 2019. While it’s unknown whether Haaland would have preferred a move to Celtic over Salzburg, the decision not to act on their interest in the Norwegian star is now viewed as a missed opportunity.
Celtic was evidently in the market for a young, promising striker, as demonstrated by their acquisition of Vakoun Bayo during the same transfer window Haaland moved to Austria. However, they opted for the Ivorian instead, a decision that now seems like a blunder given Haaland’s meteoric rise in football.
Haaland is one that certainly slipped through Celtic’s fingers, as his current value far exceeds the £4.5m he was available for in early 2019.
As of September 30, 2024, Haaland’s market value is a staggering €180m (£152m) on Transfermarkt, a colossal increase from what Salzburg initially paid. The striker scored an incredible 29 goals in 27 matches for Salzburg, prompting Borussia Dortmund to sign him in January 2020.
At Dortmund, Haaland continued his phenomenal form, scoring 86 goals in 89 appearances, including 62 in 67 Bundesliga matches. His remarkable performances earned him a move to Manchester City in the summer of 2022 for a reported fee of £88.5m.
Since then, Haaland has consistently shattered records in England. In his debut season with City, he broke the record for most goals in a single Premier League season, netting 36 in 2022/23. Additionally, he became the fastest player in league history to reach 50 goals, achieving the milestone in just 48 games, compared to Andy Cole’s 65 matches.
| 24/25 Premier League | Erling Haaland |
|---|---|
| Appearances | 6 |
| xG | 6.25 |
| Goals | 10 |
| Big chances missed | 3 |
| Minutes per goal | 54 |
| Stats via Sofascore | |
As shown in the table above, Haaland has had a sensational start to the current season, netting 10 goals in six matches, and could potentially surpass his own record of 36 goals in a single Premier League campaign.
Since joining Manchester City just over two years ago, the former Molde star has scored an astonishing 100 goals in 106 appearances across all competitions, solidifying his status as a global football superstar.
This makes Haaland a major missed opportunity for Celtic, as they chose to sign Vakoun Bayo for just £2.5m less than what Salzburg paid for Haaland, missing out on acquiring a truly generational talent.
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