Chris Sutton predicts £20m transfer fee and exit timeline for key Celtic defender

Chris Sutton predicts £20m transfer fee and exit timeline for key Celtic defender

Chris Sutton predicts £20m transfer fee and exit timeline for key Celtic defender

The defender’s season has been disrupted by injuries, following two exceptional seasons under Ange Postecoglou and a £6 million move

from Spurs following several loan stints at English Championship teams.

In Celtic’s transfer model, having a successor already at the club and selling at maximum value are the two most important factors,

hence exceptional talent rarely stays with the team for longer than three years.

Gus Lagerbielke and Maik Nawrocki were thought to be part of that succession plan but Liam Scales has emerged as Celtic’s

most reliable defender this season with signs that Stephen Welsh is rated higher by Brendan Rodgers than Postecoglou.

Celtic have no pressing financial requirements to sell this month but at the end of this season things could look

very different with the turnover of players likely to accelerate.

In the Daily Record Sutton looks ahead to an interesting summer at his old club:

Celtic had to spend £6m to get Jota signed. Paying that little more ended up netting them £25m when the Saudis came calling. In the same summer, Carter-

Vickers cost the same £6m. If the English do come knocking in the summer, I’d say you are looking at another £20m.

That’s really what the fans want to see. Chunky investments bringing even healthier returns. I’m fairly sure Carter-Vickers and O’Riley will stay until at least

the summer, but they’ll go one day and their bumper transfer fees when departing will just push the narrative of pay higher, sell higher. Fans just want

ready-made players who can go straight into the side and make it better.

Despite being much younger than both of them, the arrival of Carter-Vickers instantly improved the performances of Josip Juranovic and Carl Starefelt who

were also bought during the summer 2021 transfer window masterminded by Dom McKay.

Carter-Vickers won’t be involved on Sunday against Buckie Thistle but is expected to be in place for the SPFL match at home to Ross County on January 27.

 

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