Manchester United have now submitted a £26m opening offer for a former Premier League striker, who has been in impressive form this season.
Man Utd looking to sign new striker amid Sesko's slow start
Benjamin Sesko’s Man United career is yet to truly take off, having scored two goals in his first 11 Premier League games, and the Slovenian striker has missed the last two matches due to a knee injury, with Joshua Zirkzee leading the line against Crystal Palace last time out.
With Zirkzee ending his goal drought in the 2-1 triumph against the Eagles, it remains to be seen whether Sesko will be able to force his way back into the side upon his return, but the Dutchman could be on the move in the January transfer window.
West Ham United are now planning to sign Zirkzee this winter as a replacement for Niclas Fullkrug, with AS Roma also being credited as potential suitors, and the 24-year-old departing would exacerbate the need for Ruben Amorim to bring in a new centre-forward.
According to a report from Spain, Man United have now submitted an offer of around €30m (£26m) for Real Betis striker Cucho Hernandez, who has emerged as an important player for the Spanish side under the helm of Manuel Pellegrini.
The bid is said to be ‘financially attractive’ to Betis, but the La Liga side now have a big decision to make, given that Cucho could be the key to them having a successful season, and it would be difficult to replace him.
United are looking to bring in forwards capable of providing ‘energy, mobility and goals’, and they have decided the 26-year-old fits the bill, off the back of an impressive 2025-26 campaign thus far…
Cucho impressing in La Liga and Europa League
The Colombian recently scored his first Europa League goal of the season in Betis’ 2-1 victory against Utrecht, and he has also put in some eye-catching displays in La Liga, chipping in with five goals and two assists in 14 games.
The former Watford man has some Premier League experience too, scoring five goals in 25 matches for the Hornets in the 2021-22 campaign, during which time Claudio Ranieri said: “I love him, because always during the training session he gives 100 per cent. He wants to score, he wants to shoot. He is a fighter. I love these kinds of people.”
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Man United should have reservations about signing Cucho, given that the centre-forward wasn’t exactly prolific during his previous stint in England, but he could be a decent back-up option for Sesko, should Zirkzee move on this winter.
One European club is now ready to launch a move to sign a big-money Liverpool star in 2026, despite facing competition from the Saudi Pro League.
Slot expects "aggressive" Leeds vs Liverpool
Despite Wednesday night’s timid draw against Sunderland at Anfield, Arne Slot was in good spirits ahead of Liverpool’s next game against Leeds United this weekend. The Reds will be looking to stretch their mini-unbeaten run to three games in the same week, but must also get back to winning ways after Wednesday.
On paper, a trip to newly-promoted Leeds looks routine and once upon a time it was exactly that for the Reds. Those days, for the time being, are gone, however, and the Premier League champions are now set to square off against a side who could physically outmatch them once again.
Speaking in his pre-match press conference, Slot admitted that he expects to face an “aggressive” Leeds side: “Yesterday I looked at Leeds v Chelsea and I thought I saw a Liverpool game; Chelsea conceding a set-piece and for the third goal making a big, big error where they conceded a goal from. [It was] very difficult for them.
“Either Leeds went very aggressive to one-v-one or they went to a low block and it was really hard to create chances. It’s not only difficult for us, that playing style, it’s difficult for many teams – including us.”
It’s been the story of Liverpool’s season so far. Whenever they’ve encountered physicality, the Premier League champions have simply been bullied.
Something had to change and that has seen Mohamed Salah sacrificed. The struggling Egyptian has not started either of Liverpool’s last two games and reports suggest he could yet leave the club in 2026.
Galatasaray ready to launch Salah bid
According to reports in Spain, Galatasaray are now ready to launch their bid to sign Salah next year. The Turkish giants are looking to take full advantage of the winger’s situation and will reportedly aim to beat clubs in Saudi Arabia to his signature.
Whether Liverpool are willing to sell Salah remains to be seen, though. The Anfield icon only signed a new two-year deal last season, which is set to expire in 2027, but they must ask themselves if he is now past the peak of his powers.
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Former centre-back, turned Sky Sports pundit, Jamie Carragher certainly believes that’s the case, recently saying: “The catalyst for Liverpool at the very start of the run in 2018 with Jürgen Klopp was Alisson, Van Dijk and Salah.
“Alisson’s injured a lot now, he doesn’t play so much. But you watch Van Dijk now, not the same player, and Mo Salah looks like his legs have gone.”
The 33-year-old will be desperate to prove Carragher wrong and make his £21m-a-year contract worthwhile even if that is to be from the bench following Slot’s recent ruthlessness.
Huge Gakpo upgrade: £70m "superstar" now keen to join Liverpool in January
The Philadelphia Phillies lost to the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday, falling 3-1 at Citizens Bank Park. It wasn't all bad for a select few Phillies fans, though, thanks to second baseman Bryson Stott.
In Stott's first at-bat he stepped into the batter's box with a new piece of equipment—a pink armband on his left arm. As the NBC Sports Philadelphia broadcast would later reveal, it turns out Stott was part of a gender reveal for a friend of his and the armband was, in fact, the gender reveal.
Stott donned the pink armband for Ryan Stevens and his wife. Stevens designs custom shoes for Stott, among other Philadelphia athletes. And he's having a girl!
Not bad for a gender reveal. Not bad at all. Most couples can't say their gender reveal was seen by an audience of thousands, but the Stevens sure can.
تحدث ثنائي الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي برشلونة روبرت ليفاندوفسكي وفرينكي دي يونج، عن مباراة منتخبهما أمام هولندا ضمن تصفيات كأس العالم.
وانتهت المباراة بين المنتخبين بالتعادل الإيجابي 1/1 في اللقاء الذي جمعهما ضمن منافسات تصفيات كأس العالم 2026.
وكشف قائد المنتخب البولندي في تصريحات نقلتها صحيفة “موندو ديبورتيفو”: “دي يونج؟ تحدثنا قليلًا خلال المباراة، رأيته يتنهد وأدركت فورًا أن المباراة لا تسير كما يُريد، حاولت زعزعة إيقاعه بتحركاتي، أعرف من التدريب ما يفعله فرينكي بالكرة عندما يصل إلى إيقاعه، يستطيع استخدام توازنه لتنشيط الفريق، ضغطي عليه دفع فرينكي للبحث عن بدائل”.
وأوضح ليفاندوفسكي عن تمريرته الحاسمة في هدف بولندا: “لمحت ياكوب بطرف عيني يركض، وعرفت أنني يجب أن أمررها له لأن كوبا سريع للغاية، لطالما أحببت اللاعبين الذين يركضون ويبحثون عن مساحات مفتوحة وهذه ميزة كبيرة للمهاجم”.
اقرأ أيضًا | أومتيتي يروي كواليس مؤثرة عن معاناته من الإصابة واعتزاله كرة القدم
وعلى الناحية الأخرى، قال دي يونج: “في الشوط الأول كانت مشكلتنا هي المسافة الكبيرة جدًا بين اللاعبين، عندما تكون المسافات بين اللاعبين كبيرة جدًا لا يمكنك اللعب بسرعة، لا يوجد تفاهم جيد لأن اللاعب التالي يكون على بُعد 20 أو 25 مترًا”.
وأوضح: “إن تمركزنا الهجومي هو ما يمنع اللعب من التطور بشكل طبيعي، هذا ليس مثاليًا، إنها مسألة تنسيق بلا شك وأحيانًا يتعين عليك التكيف، ولكن من حيث المبدأ، الأفضل هو تجنب ذلك”.
وأتم: “لم تكن مباراة جيدة ونحن نعلم ذلك ويجب علينا بالتأكيد أن نؤدي بشكل أفضل من الليلة، لكي نتأهل لكأس العالم علينا أن نتحسن كثيرًا، على الرغم من وجود الجودة في فريقنا، الأمر كله يتلخص في التنسيق الجيد”.
Baseball Hall of Famer David Ortiz would love for Juan Soto to sign with the Boston Red Sox in free agency.
Ortiz's comments on Thursday came in the wake of what was described as a "productive meeting" between Soto and the Red Sox as Boston ramps up their pursuit of the 26-year-old slugger.
Ortiz, who is a Red Sox legend, has mentored Soto for years, as both players hail from the Dominican Republic. Soto grew up watching Ortiz, Pedro Martinez and Manny Ramirez. Ortiz believes that Soto and fellow Dominican Rafael Devers could be Boston's new era of Ortiz and Ramirez.
"I'm telling you, we would have Manny and Papi for the left side," Ortiz told WEEI. "If there is a guy I would like to build a team around, it would have to be Juan Soto. Juan Soto speaks Spanish, and he speaks English, so he can communicate with both American and Latin players. He has that good vibe. I tell you what, the Yankees went that far this year because of him. He changed everything for them there. When you have a top player doing the things that he does, everybody follows up. That’s what they did over there. At the end of the day, he has incredible makeup.”
If Soto signs in Boston this offseason, he would quickly become a franchise cornerstone alongside Devers. The two sluggers could hold down the middle of the Red Sox order for years to come, much like Ortiz and Ramirez did for years in Boston.
Celtic’s interim manager Martin O’Neill got off to a dream start on Wednesday night with a commanding 4-0 win over Falkirk at Parkhead in front of the home support.
The Hoops had lost their previous two matches in the Scottish Premiership, to Hearts and Dundee, before Brendan Rodgers tendered his resignation from his role on Monday night.
O’Neill and his interim coaching team got a brilliant response out of the first-team player against Falkirk, with Johnny Kenny being one of the stars of the night.
Why Johnny Kenny is undroppable for Celtic
The Ireland U21 international has started the last two Premiership matches after Kelechi Iheanacho suffered a hamstring injury early on in the win over Sturm Graz in the Europa League last week.
Kenny failed to make much of an impact against Hearts on Sunday, but he stepped up with two goals from five shots in 66 minutes on the pitch against Falkirk, per Sofascore.
On top of his goalscoring exploits, converting from close range on two occasions, the Irishman won five of his nine duels and won three fouls for the team, per Sofascore, acting as the focal point in the number nine position.
Chalkboard
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With Iheanacho’s injury and Celtic’s lack of depth in the striker position, Kenny’s impressive performance against Falkirk should mean that he is undroppable for the time being.
The former Shamrock Rovers star is not the only Hoops ace who should be considered undroppable after Wednesday night, though, as Marcelo Saracchi was just as good.
Why Marcelo Saracchi should be undroppable already
The Uruguay international was brought in for experienced left-back Kieran Tierney, and barely put a foot wrong throughout the 90 minutes on the pitch.
Despite assisting Celtic’s goal, Tierney had a difficult afternoon against Hearts last time out. He lost three of his four aerial duels and failed to make a single tackle, per Sofascore, which is why the left-back position may not be guaranteed to him.
Saracchi came in against Falkirk on Wednesday and showed the defensive quality that was lacking from Tierney’s performance against Hearts, as he impressed for O’Neill.
Minutes
90
Tackles won
4
Interceptions
1
Ball recoveries
12
Ground duels won
7/11
Aerial duels won
3/3
Key passes
2
Crosses completed
3/6
As you can see in the table above, the Boca Juniors loanee made four more tackles and won 75% more of his aerial duels than Tierney did in his last outing at left-back.
On top of his impressive defensive work, with ten duels won and 12 ball recoveries, Saracchi also created two chances and had two shots on target, one of which was parried out to Benjamin Nygren for the third goal on the night.
It was a brilliant all-round display from the energetic full-back, who showed that he can contribute at both ends of the pitch. He has the bite, tenacity, and patience to provide quality defending, whilst also having the ability on the ball to make things happen in the final third, which is why he was just as good and influential as Kenny.
Saracchi, who earned an 8/10 player rating from 67HailHail, is now undroppable because his performance was one that the Hoops lacked when Tierney was in the XI against Hearts on Sunday, albeit that was away against the league leaders.
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O’Neill, should he still be in charge next time out, should consider the left-footed star an undroppable part of his team, along with Kenny, because of his sublime showing in and out of possession.
West Ham chiefs are apparently convinced that one Man United player is the ideal signing for new manager Nuno Espírito Santo, coming amid reports that David Sullivan and the hierarchy are set to back him in January.
West Ham make January recruitment plans after Nuno arrival
The Portuguese oversaw his second Premier League game in charge of the East Londoners last Saturday, culminating in a 2-0 defeat away to title-chasing Arsenal.
Goals from ex-West Ham captain Declan Rice, who was the best player on the pitch, and Bukayo Saka handed Nuno his first loss since taking over from Graham Potter over a fortnight ago.
Rice’s man of the match performance was only overshadowed by Saka reaching impressive milestones, with the England international marking his 200th Premier League appearance by reaching a century of goal involvements for the Gunners.
The 90 minutes went exactly how on-lookers would expect, as Arsenal enjoyed a whopping 68 per cent possession and dominated the overall play.
West Ham’s results in the Premier League so far
Sunderland 3-0 West Ham
West Ham 1-5 Chelsea
Nottingham Forest 0-3 West Ham
West Ham 0-3 Tottenham
West Ham 1-2 Crystal Palace
Everton 1-1 West Ham
Arsenal 2-0 West Ham
Despite West Ham winning two of their previous two league games at the Emirates, it was always going to be a very tough ask for Nuno to secure his first win there, but the tactician will already be getting a good idea of the areas that West Ham need to improve in.
As Nuno attempts to galvanise his new side, away from the pitch, it is believed that West Ham want to sign a new attacking player in January to inject some needed creativity in the forward areas.
AC Milan star Christian Pulisic, Roma’s Lorenzo Pellegrini and Galatasaray forward Baris Yilmaz have all been mentioned as potential West Ham targets for the winter window, and they’ve also got a keen interest in £105,000-per-week Man United striker Joshua Zirkzee.
West Ham think Joshua Zirkzee is perfect for Nuno
According to reports in Spain, West Ham believe that Zirkzee would “fit perfectly” into Nuno’s system, with the London Stadium now seen as a realistic destination for the Dutchman who’s had admirers at the club “for months”.
Zirkzee is yet to get off the mark for Ruben Amorim’s side after being in and out of the Portuguese’s starting elevens so far, playing just 74 top flight minutes so far, and West Ham could offer him an escape route from Old Trafford.
Since joining from Bologna, the 24-year-old has racked up 10 goal contributions (seven goals, three assists) in just over half a century of appearances for the Red Devils, but the arrivals of summer signings Benjamin Sesko and Matheus Cunha now threaten his place long-term.
By contrast, Nuno could seriously use an alternative to injury-prone striking duo Callum Wilson and Niclas Füllkrug, with Zirkzee’s previous Serie A exploits highlighting how he would really upgrade West Ham’s options.
This is echoed by United legend Lee Sharpe, who backed Zirkzee to become a “superstar” this season.
Cristiano Ronaldo is “the biggest brand in the world”, according to the vice president of his former employers at Sporting, with the Portuguese GOAT becoming a “one-man show”. CR7 has become football’s first billionaire, allowing him to emulate the achievements of legendary figures such as Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods, LeBron James and Tiger Woods. There is no sign of the evergreen Al-Nassr striker slowing down.
Record-breaker: Ronaldo still chasing down targets
Ronaldo’s earning potential has spiked since making his name as a tricky winger with Manchester United. He was transformed into a fearsome frontman during his time at Old Trafford, collecting his first Champions League trophy and Ballon d’Or in the process. He now has five European crowns to his name and a handful of Golden Balls.
Records have tumbled around the all-time great, with the history books being rewritten on a regular basis. There is seemingly still plenty left for him to achieve at 40 years of age. A new two-year contract has been committed to in the Saudi Pro League, with Ronaldo taking aim at the 2026 World Cup and 1,000 career goals.
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Billionaire's club: How Ronaldo joined other sporting immortals
He could have retired a long time ago, with enough money in the bank to last several lifetimes. Ronaldo boasts the most lucrative contract in his chosen sport, while also working with leading brands such as Nike, Armani and Castrol. An empire has been built off the field courtesy of the CR7 brand, real estate investments and money-spinning business ventures.
The claims that Ronaldo’s net worth has hit $1.4 billion (£1bn), making him the first football player to join an exclusive club. NBA greats Jordan and James stand alongside him when it comes to wealthy sporting stars, as does golf icon Woods and tennis great Roger Federer.
Ronaldo – who pulls in millions of dollars courtesy of his social media accounts, which have branched out into the world of video production on YouTube – remains of obvious attraction to commercial partners around the world. It remains to be seen how long his remarkable playing career will last.
One-man show: How Ronaldo changed the game
He has, however, joined the immortals and can expect to keep eye-watering numbers on the financial front rolling in long after goalscoring boots have been hung up for the final time. Sporting vice-president Andre Bernardo expects that to be the case.
He told the ‘Growing with Soul: How Clubs Expand Without Losing Their Heritage’ panel at the Portugal Football Summit: “Our core business is sports, and players are a fundamental component. Players are heroes, but they are also people, and there are people who sometimes neglect this aspect and try to copy them. In the digital age, these players are much more powerful than some brands. Cristiano Ronaldo is the biggest brand in the world and is a unique person. Naturally, he has a team that supports him, but he is a one-man show.”
He added, with Sporting having helped to put several household names on the path to greatness: “Cristiano is a good example, but there are others who came from humble and difficult backgrounds. Everyone knows Cristiano's story, his mother, a huge Sporting fan, was the one who brought him to the academy when he was a boy.”
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Full circle: Could Ronaldo return to his roots?
There has been talk of Ronaldo returning to his roots at some stage, as he takes his career full circle. Such a move may, however, be difficult given that he will be 42 by the time that his lucrative deal in the Middle East comes to a close. A door in Lisbon will, however, always be left open to him. That is because he remains a hero to millions back in his homeland.
They will be looking to cheer Ronaldo and Co on to global glory next summer. Portugal are holders of the UEFA Nations League crown and expected to go well in the United States, Canada and Mexico. Savouring World Cup glory would allow Ronaldo, much like eternal rival Lionel Messi did with Argentina at Qatar 2022, to complete his glittering medal collection.
Glasgow Rangers head coach Russell Martin appears to be in a difficult position with his options at striker at Ibrox heading into next week’s transfer deadline.
After the 1-1 draw with St Mirren in the Scottish Premiership last time out, the Gers manager revealed that Hamza Igamane was unable to come off the bench to help the team.
Martin said: “He wouldn’t be on the bench if he’s not fit. So he said he’d done it warming up. We turned down a bid this week, but we’ll assess his injury and I have to trust Hamza so we’ll see what happens.”
The boss went on to speak about Cyriel Dessers’ situation, saying: “I think it happens in football, but I’ll go back to Cyriel (Dessers) again. He’s worked really hard to get fit, hasn’t quite been fit, he’ll probably be fit for Wednesday.
“So whilst he’s made it really clear what his intention would be or what his desire would be, there’s been no problem, none. He trains properly, performs with the team, been great, but everyone’s different.”
It has since been revealed that Lille have had an offer accepted for Igamane, who is now due to depart for £10.4m, which may explain recent links to Bojan Miovski.
Why Rangers are interested in Bojan Miovski
It was recently reported that the Gers are interested in a deal to sign the centre-forward from Girona on a season-long loan deal to bolster their squad.
Their interest in the Macedonia international could be connected to the interest in Dessers and Igamane from elsewhere ahead of next Monday’s transfer deadline, because an exit from Ibrox for either of them would leave the squad short in the striker department.
Bojan Miovski for North Macedonia.
This is why the 26-year-old star arriving at Ibrox in the coming days could make a lot of sense for Rangers, because would slot into the centre-forward position and fill any hole that could be created by a departure for Igamane or Dessers, or both.
The Girona outcast is also be an attractive target for the Scottish Premiership giants because he is a proven performer in Scotland. During his two-year stint with Aberdeen, Miovski showed that he can score goals on a regular basis in the Scottish top-flight.
Miovski (Premiership)
22/23
23/24
xG
15.60
17.08
xG on target
18.36
17.60
Goals
16
16
Shots on target
36
44
Chances created
27
23
Assists
2
2
Stats via FotMob
As you can see in the table above, the left-footed marksman scored 32 goals in two league seasons with Aberdeen, who finished behind Rangers in both of those campaigns, and overperformed his xG when you take his xG on target into account.
These statistics show that he is almost guaranteed to be a reliable goalscorer for Rangers in the Premiership, because he has been there and done it in the division in two of the last three years.
However, on the flip side of it, a season-long loan deal for Miovski would only be delaying the need to sign a permanent replacement for Igamane or Dessers.
On top of that, the striker has only scored four goals in 25 matches for Giorna since the start of last season and would need to find his confidence in front of goal again, which may be a struggle in a Rangers team that is currently in a difficult place after three draws in three league games.
Earlier this month, it was reported that Rangers are one of a number of sides interested in a deal to sign Villarreal’s £4m-rated centre-forward Karl Etta Eyong to bolster their attacking options.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
It was also reported that the Gers were in talks with Villarreal over a potential permanent deal for the forward, although there has not been any recent updates on that, and he could be an even better signing than Miovski.
Why Rangers should sign Karl Etta Eyong
Whilst Miovski has the potential, given his form for Aberdeen in the past, to be an exceptional addition to the squad in his own right, Etta Eyong could be a better signing because of his recent form and the structure of the possible transfer.
Signing the Villarreal star, who is only 21, on a long-term deal as part of a permanent transfer could be a much better move for the club than a short-term loan for Miovski, because it could sort out the team’s striker problem for multiple seasons, rather than just one.
Etta Eyong scores for Villarreal
By signing Etta Eyong, if all goes well, the Gers would not have to invest millions in another new striker next summer. Whereas, Miovski going back to Girona, or going elsewhere, at the end of his loan would mean that the Light Blues would be back at square one and needing to find another forward.
The Villarreal starlet’s performances at youth and senior level in Spain in the last 12 months or so also suggest that he could hit the ground running with confidence behind him, which may not be the case for Miovski due to his struggles in Spain.
Etta Eyong (25/26 LaLiga)
Vs Real Oviedo
Vs Girona
Minutes
90
90
Shots on target
1
2
Goals
1
0
Key passes
0
2
Assists
0
1
Pass accuracy
80%
80%
Possession lost
4x
8x
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, Etta Eyong has made a strong start to the current LaLiga campaign with a goal and an assist in two matches, with the assist coming against Miovski’s Girona side.
Meanwhile, the Macedonia international did not register a shot or a key pass in 45 minutes against Rayo Vallecano before being left out of the squad for the defeat to Etta Eyong’s Villarreal, per Sofascore.
The £4m-rated star, who was described as a “powerful” striker by writer Kai Watson, also scored 18 goals, finishing 25% of his chances, in 29 starts in the Spanish third tier for Villarreal’s B team in the 2024/25 campaign, which shows that he can also score goals consistently when given regular game time.
Etta Eyong scored goals against Leeds and Arsenal in pre-season before starting the LaLiga campaign on fire for Villarreal, and all of these statistics suggest that he has the quality to be a quality operator up front for Rangers.
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This is why Etta Eyong would be an even better signing than Miovski for the Gers, because he is in-form and currently playing better in the same league, and would arrive on a permanent basis instead of as a loan player.
Glasgow Celtic have enjoyed regular dominance in Scotland in recent years, with the Hoops’ shrewd signings playing a major role in that success.
Those at Parkhead aren’t known to splash the cash like other clubs across Europe but have become serial winners. The likes of Martin O’Neill, Neil Lennon, Ange Postecoglou and Brendan Rodgers have all spent money when allowed to do so, but who is Celtic’s most expensive signing of all time?
Celtic's most expensive sales of all time
Celtic have let some of their finest talents move for big money in the past.
By
Charlie Smith
Oct 3, 2025
Here’s the top 10, with one player actually appearing on the list twice.
Celtic’s most expensive signings of all time
Rank
Player
Fee
Signed from
Year
1
Arne Engels
£11m
Augsburg
2024
2
Adam Idah
£9.5m
Norwich City
2024
=3
Odsonne Edouard
£8m
PSG
2018
=3
Jota
£8m
Rennes
2025
5
Christopher Jullien
£7m
Toulouse
2019
6
Jota
£6.5m
Benfica
2022
=7
Auston Trusty
£6m
Sheffield United
2024
=7
Cameron Carter-Vickers
£6m
Tottenham
2022
=7
John Hartson
£6m
Coventry City
2001
=7
Chris Sutton
£6m
Chelsea
2000
Celtic’s 10 most expensive signings in detail
10
Chris Sutton
£6m from Chelsea
Now known for his role as a pundit and co-commentator, Chris Sutton was a goalscorer during his playing days and moved to Celtic Park in 2000.
The Englishman had starred for Norwich City and Blackburn Rovers before joining Chelsea in 1999, and after a 12-month stint at Stamford Bridge, headed to Scotland for £6m.
Sutton would score more than 80 goals in just under 200 appearances for the Hoops, winning eight major honours in Scotland.
9
John Hartson
£6m from Coventry City
Sutton’s strike partner at Celtic was Welshman John Hartson, who also cost £6m a year later in 2001 from Coventry City.
A powerful centre-forward, Hartson actually made more appearances for Celtic than any other club he represented, outscoring Sutton in their Hoops careers. He won six major honours at Parkhead before being sold to West Brom in 2006.
8
Cameron Carter-Vickers
£6m from Tottenham
Celtic defender Cameron Carter-Vickers.
After multiple loan spells away from Tottenham, Cameron Carter-Vickers found a permanent home at Parkhead in 2022 following a successful season with the Hoops a year before.
Celtic paid Tottenham £6m for the USA centre-back, who has gone from strength to strength in Glasgow and has since been linked with a mega-money transfer back to the Premier League.
7
Auston Trusty
£6m from Sheffield United
Another American defender to join Celtic was Auston Trusty, who made the move in 2024 after Sheffield United’s relegation from the Premier League.
Trusty made 37 appearances in his first season as a Hoops player, winning two trophies. He’s under contract until 2029.
6
Jota
£6.5m from Benfica
Celtic forward Jota.
Portuguese winger Jota starred on loan at Celtic from Benfica in the 2021/22 season, and his transfer was made permanent for £6.5m at the end of the campaign.
The attacker would become a fan favourite and get even better a year later as the Hoops won the treble, however, he was then sold to Al Ittihad for a whopping £25m. More on Jota to come…
5
Christopher Jullien
£7m from Toulouse
Towering centre-back Christopher Jullien became Celtic’s first summer signing in 2019, with Neil Lennon the manager to sign the French defender.
Unfortunately, Jullien suffered with injury during his time with the Hoops and was sold to Montpellier for a fraction of the fee in 2022.
4
Jota
£8m from Rennes
After a failed time in Saudi Arabia, Jota was then sold to Rennes in France, but again struggled to hit the heights of his time at Celtic.
The Hoops were then in negotiations to sell Kyogo Furuhashi to the Ligue 1 side in 2025, and they used the money to bring Jota back to Parkhead in a deal worth £8m.
So, in total, Celtic have spent just under £15m on Jota in two transfers, while selling him once for £25m – good business.
3
Odsonne Edouard
£8m from PSG
Former Celtic striker Odsonne Edouard.
After starring on loan from Paris Saint-Germain in the 2017/18 season, Celtic made Odsonne Edouard’s transfer permanent for a then-club-record £8m fee.
The Hoops at the time described it as the “biggest transfer” in their history, with the French forward continuing to score goals for fun in Scotland. Celtic still made a healthy profit on Edouard, cashing in for £14m when Crystal Palace came in on deadline day in 2021.
Odsonne Edouard’s Celtic stats
Games
179
Goals
87
Assists
37
Minutes played
12,199
Trophies won
11
2
Adam Idah
£9.5m from Norwich City
Another striker who cost big money after impressing on loan was Adam Idah. The Republic of Ireland international spent the second half of the 2023/24 campaign at Parkhead from Norwich City and scored some big goals for the Hoops, including a late winner in their Scottish Cup final against Rangers.
Celtic then spent £9.5m on Idah and handed him a five-year deal in Glasgow.
1
Arne Engels
£11m from Augsburg
Top of the charts as Celtic’s most expensive signing of all time is midfielder Arne Engels. The Belgian joined in the same summer as Idah as the Hoops really splashed the cash in 2024.
Engels, who was only 20 when he signed, starred in his first season, winning the Scottish Premiership and Scottish League Cup.