‘That’s the biggest kicker of all’ – Finance expert shares deep dive of Celtic’s accounts
Celtic’s latest financial accounts point towards mistakes made this summer in the transfer market.
That is according to football finance expert Dr Dan Plumley, who told Football Insider exclusively that the Hoops were planning for the long-term, but that may have backfired.
Celtic have smashed their record revenue figures for the 2024-25 season, with their numbers rising from £124.6million in the 2023-24 period to £143.6m.
However, Brendan Rodgers’ side missed out on Champions League qualification following a penalty shootout loss to Kairat Almaty.
The Northern Irish manager was desperate for Celtic to spend more last summer, and his unanswered pleas may have consequences for the club in the long-term
Celtic should have spent more in the summer
Celtic registered a net spend of £7m in the summer transfer window, selling big-name players like Nicolas Kuhn to Como and Adam Idah to Swansea for a combined £22.6m
Speaking to Football Insider exclusively, Plumley explained that the strong revenue figures suggested that the club had made a mistake and should have spent more in the summer.
He said: “The board have come out and taken full responsibility for not getting into the Champions League.
“That’s the biggest kicker in all of this, you know, they were always going to be strong in the Scottish League, that’s just a given.
“And obviously, the way Rangers have started, it’s even better for Celtic in that regard.
“So, it wasn’t about the Scottish Premiership, it was all about Champions League, and, you know, whether or not they thought that that squad was strong enough to get them through the qualifiers and into the group phase, whether or not they were hanging on just in case, it didn’t quite land.
“It is a big revenue shift, and you’ve got to plan for the long term as well, but I think looking at those numbers now, there is a fairly plausible argument that they should have spent a bit more.”
Chairman Peter Lawwell admitted the lack of investment in the summer was a failure of the board’s, saying the club “recognise and share the frustration and disappointment” over the recruitment.
Question marks over Brendan Rodgers’ Celtic future
Sources revealed to Football Insider on 13 September that contract talks between Rodgers and Celtic had collapsed, in part due to the failings in the transfer department this summer.
The ex-Liverpool boss has been linked with a return to the Premier League recently, and an exit from Parkhead may be closing in.
The 52-year-old’s contract is due to expire at the end of the 2025-26 campaign, and Pete O’Rourke told Football Insider that the summer business could be a tipping point for Rodgers at Celtic.