The transfer window is open and Celtic will undoubtedly scour the world for new arrivals between now and early September.
Brendan Rodgers has made his desire to bring ‘quality’ to Parkhead abundant; however, talent comes in all shapes and sizes, and there isn’t one clear market that represents better value for money than the next.
However, the Premier League is a familiar haunt for the manager, owing to his extensive time spent in the English top flight and experience of seeing many active players in the division at close quarters.
Of course, that doesn’t mean Rodgers will look to shop there, but if he does cast an eye over available individuals, there are some considerations to bear in mind for Celtic.
Celtic and the realities of shopping in the Premier League
Money dictates everything in football, and there is no division on the planet with more financial capital than the Premier League, which often results in Celtic being priced out of moves for players in England.
Liverpool goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher is a prime example. The Republic of Ireland international has been frequently linked with a move to the reigning Scottish Premiership champions due to being behind Alisson Becker in the pecking order at Anfield.
Despite this, The Mirror claim that it could cost £40 million to prize the 25-year-old away from Anfield this summer. This does feel a tad outlandish, but it doesn’t come as a major surprise in light of the over-inflation present in football’s richest league.
Bournemouth goalkeeper Mark Travers is another option that has been evaluated by Celtic; nonetheless, it is said his suitors would need to stump up £10 million for his signature, making the prospect of him moving to Parkhead unlikely.
These are just two examples of why expecting Celtic to dip into the Premier League may be problematic, though there can still be advantages to this approach.
Celtic and potential to land a bargain from the Premier League
On the flipside, several Premier League clubs are struggling to meet their Profit and Sustainability regulatory targets, which may present the opportunity for Celtic to land a bargain in the market.
Taking Hoops-linked Newcastle United goalkeeper Martin Dubravka as an example, he has been made surplus to requirements in the North East as Eddie Howe looks to bring in an alternative stopper.
Fundamentally, what makes the 35-year-old an even more attractive prospect is the fact the Magpies will be desperate to get him and other players’ wages off their books as they aim to satisfy their obligations.
Several younger players from the English top flight could be up for sale due to this phenomenon. Aston Villa have been cited as another club involved in the running theme of PSR-related dealings, per The Athletic, so it maybe isn’t entirely a coincidence that peripheral Villans’ figure Viljami Sinisalo is another reported target for Celtic.
The cut-off point to meet targets for Premier League clubs is June 30th. It will be intriguing to see if Celtic look to exploit the route mentioned to source incomings.