A club of Celtic’s stature would ideally be considered the ‘destination’ for a player, rather than merely part of their journey to somewhere else, with far too many high-profile talents having been enticed by the riches elsewhere.
That said, the Premiership giants have been realistic regarding their current status, having offered rising stars the chance to claim heaps of silverware, all while enjoying the taste of Champions League football, before sending them on their way for a handsome profit.
Take Kyogo Furuhashi, signed for £4.6m, before being sold for £10m – at the age of 30 – back in January. Take Jota, signed for £6m following an initial loan deal, prior to being shipped off to Saudi Arabia for £25m. Take Nicolas Kuhn, sold to Como for £16.5m, just 18 months after signing for £3m in the winter of 2024.
Take Matt O’Riley, plucked from League One side MK Dons by Ange Postecoglou for just £1.5m in January 2022, before joining Premier League highflyers Brighton and Hove Albion for another £25m fee last summer.
Such bargain investments have handsomely paid off for those at Parkhead, with the Hoops wheeling and dealing all while maintaining their domestic dominance.
Might another such acquisition now be in the works?
Celtic among frontrunners to sign promising £2.5m talent
Having splashed out over £20m on Adam Idah and Arne Engels alone last summer, the investment has been far more measured this time around, forking out just £1.5m and £2m for Shin Yamada and Benjamin Nygren, respectively, while bringing in Kieran Tierney, Callum Osmand and Ross Doohan on free transfers.
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As already stated, the Hoops love a bargain, having repeatedly scoured the globe for the brightest and best, in the hope of raking in a sizeable profit later down the line.
Perhaps that might be the case again with regard to FK Cukaricki midfielder Andrej Bacanin, with Football Insider reporting that Celtic – alongside rivals Rangers – are leading the race for the 18-year-old.
The report suggests that while the Old Firm foes are set to face rival interest from the likes of Ajax and Udinese, they both have a ‘good chance’ of signing the teenager, should they decide to step their interest.
As has been reported elsewhere, the Serbian outfit would be looking for a fee of around €3m (£2.5m) if they were to cash in this summer, ensuring Brendan Rodgers could get his man for a relative snip.
Why Celtic could be targeting the next O'Riley
Arguably the shining example of Celtic’s recent recruitment is that of O’Riley, with the Denmark international having been a relative unknown when plucked from England’s third tier just over three years ago.
The silky left-footer had scored ten times in 54 games during his time in Milton Keynes, although few could have predicted the impact he would go on to make north of the border, having ultimately chipped in with 62 goals and assists in 127 games for the Hoops.
Lauded for his “absolutely phenomenal” consistency by Rodgers, the inexperienced playmaker particularly caught the eye on the Champions League stage, with journalist Guillem Balague memorably stating that O’Riley “did not look out of place” up against a dazzling Real Madrid side in September 2022.
Thrown in at the deep end somewhat, the one-time Fulham man certainly didn’t sink in the pressurised environment at Parkhead. Could Bacanin go on to do the same?
First and foremost, it’s worth stating that whether or not Bacanin can replicate the attacking impact of O’Riley remains to be seen, having scored just once and registered only two assists in 19 senior games for his current side.
That said, like his Brighton counterpart, the youngster can operate in a deep-lying role midfield berth, or in a more advanced role, with talent scout Jacek Kulig noting his “vision”, “passing” and “football IQ” among his key strengths.
Also lauded as a “super talented” individual by one Serbian football scout, Bacanin appears to be another high-potential talent for Celtic to nurture, with it exciting to imagine just what his ceiling is considering his relative youth.
Games (starts)
17 (10)
Goals
1
Big chances created
1
Assists
2
Key passes*
0.8
Pass accuracy*
80%
Tackles*
1.5
Interceptions*
1.2
Balls recovered*
4.1
While his experience at first-team level is limited to date, last season did see his qualities come to the fore, having notably averaged 2.7 tackles and interceptions per game from his number six berth, as per Sofascore. For context, O’Riley was averaging 2.2 in that same metric during his final Premiership season in Glasgow.
That duel-winning quality is also paired with the teen’s composure in possession, having averaged a pass accuracy rate of 80% in 2024/25. Again, for comparison, O’Riley averaged 83% in the previous campaign at Celtic Park.
Bacanin certainly isn’t the finished article, although neither was O’Riley amid his arrival at the club, with Celtic reaping the rewards of having shown faith in the London-born sensation.
For a fee of ‘just’ £2.5m, the Serbian gem could be another risk worth taking for the Scottish champions, with the case of O’Riley showcasing that they are the perfect club to help a youngster realise their potential.
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