More recently, Kieran Tierney made headlines with his £25 million transfer to Arsenal in the summer of 2019, becoming the most expensive Scottish player in history. The same amount was brought in when Portuguese forward Jota was sold to Saudi Pro League club Al Ittihad in 2023.
These sales demonstrate Celtic’s ability to generate substantial sums from their players, highlighting their success in fostering an environment where talent flourishes while the club continues to win trophies.
The latest example is central midfielder Matt O’Riley, who recently moved to Premier League side Brighton & Hove Albion. O’Riley was signed by former Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou from MK Dons in 2022 for a reported fee of £1.5 million. The 21-year-old quickly adapted to Scottish football, scoring four goals and providing three assists in just 16 Scottish Premiership appearances.
It quickly became evident that Celtic had made a brilliant move by signing the talented midfielder for just £1.5 million, as O’Riley made an immediate impact by both scoring and creating goals for the team.
In his first full season under Ange Postecoglou, O’Riley contributed four goals and 14 assists in 52 appearances across all competitions for the Scottish club.
Last season, under Brendan Rodgers, the 23-year-old took his game to another level, delivering an impressive 19 goals and 18 assists in 49 appearances, with most of those contributions coming in the Premiership.
| 23/24 Premiership | Matt O’Riley |
|---|---|
| Appearances | 37 |
| Goals | 18 |
| Big chances created | 14 |
| Assists | 13 |
| Dribbles completed per game | 1.0 |
| Stats via Sofascore | |
As shown in the table above, the Denmark international posed a significant threat as both a goal scorer and creator from central midfield under the guidance of the Northern Irish coach during the 2023/24 season.
His outstanding performances in Scotland drew attention from clubs in England, with Brighton & Hove Albion ultimately securing his signature for a reported fee of £25 million.
Robertson has also explained why he was let go by Celtic. The club decided not to retain him due to concerns about his height and physicality, a factor that influenced their decision to release several players at the time.
The young talent was subsequently signed by Queen’s Park before moving to Dundee United in the Premiership in 2013. At Dundee United, he made an impact with three goals and six assists in 36 league appearances.
After just one season with Dundee United, Premier League club Hull City signed Andy Robertson for a reported fee of £2.8 million in 2014, marking the start of his ascent in English football.
As of September 12, 2024, Robertson’s market value is estimated at €34.6 million (£29.2 million) according to FootballTransfers, reflecting his outstanding performances over the years in England.
This valuation means Robertson is currently worth more than Matt O’Riley, who recently moved to Brighton for £25 million, despite being seven years older than the Dane at 30.
Robertson’s increase in value over the years is largely due to his exceptional performances for Liverpool. After spending three years and making 115 appearances for Hull City, he joined Liverpool in the summer of 2017 for an initial fee of £8 million, potentially rising to £10 million.
At Liverpool, Robertson has won both the Premier League and the Champions League, and his current market value reflects a significant return on investment, as he is now worth considerably more than the original transfer fee after seven successful years at Anfield.
| Andy Roberton’s assist record for Liverpool | ||
|---|---|---|
| Premier League | Appearances | Assists |
| 17/18 | 22 | 5 |
| 18/19 | 36 | 11 |
| 19/20 | 36 | 12 |
| 20/21 | 38 | 7 |
| 21/22 | 29 | 10 |
| 22/23 | 34 | 8 |
| 23/24 | 23 | 2 |
| Stats via Transfermarkt | ||
As shown in the table above, the Scottish dynamo has been a reliable source of creativity on Liverpool’s left flank over the years. Robertson has accumulated 59 assists in his Premier League career, combining his time at Liverpool and Hull City, and he currently holds the record for the most assists by a defender in the league’s history, surpassing Trent Alexander-Arnold’s 58.
Once praised as “world-class” by Jürgen Klopp, Robertson has become one of the top defenders in Premier League history, as highlighted by his impressive record. Given his soaring value, exceptional performances, and Klopp’s acclaim, it’s clear that Celtic missed a significant opportunity by releasing him for free in 2009, failing to fully capitalize on the ‘world-class’ talent they had in their ranks.
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