Celtic head coach Brendan Rodgers made some significant moves during the summer transfer window, offloading several fringe players, including Mikey Johnston, Hyeon-gyu Oh, Sead Haksabanovic, and Tomoki Iwata, who left for West Bromwich Albion, Genk, Malmö, and Birmingham, respectively. These exits allowed Celtic to bring in key players like Arne Engels, Adam Idah, Paulo Bernardo, and veteran goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel.
However, one high-profile exit that Rodgers likely would have preferred to avoid was midfielder Matt O’Riley, who was sold to Brighton & Hove Albion for a club-record fee exceeding £25 million. O’Riley had an outstanding 2023-24 season, ranking first in the squad for goals (18), assists (13), big chances created (14), and key passes per game (2.5). Despite his importance to the team, Celtic accepted Brighton’s lucrative offer.
In contrast, James McCarthy, a player who Rodgers might have wanted to move on, remains at the club. Signed on a free transfer in 2021, McCarthy has struggled to make an impact, featuring in only 27 matches since his arrival. His contract, reportedly paying him £14,000 per week, similar to O’Riley’s, has cost Celtic around £2.4 million in wages over three seasons. McCarthy hasn’t appeared in a competitive match since October 2022, and his continued absence from the squad has been seen as poor value for the club.
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