Celtic supporters were left shocked at the total cost of the Hoops' starting lineup for Sunday's 2-2 draw against Rangers. The grand total of the team was just over £6 million.
Despite being down two goals at half-time, Martin O'Neill's side fought back, and a brilliant performance in the final 45 minutes saw the team rescue a draw. Reo Hatate was one of the names to thank after he came on and changed the game, tapping the ball home in the dying embers.
Total cost of Celtic's starting XI
- Viljami Sinisalo - £1 million
- Kieran Tierney - Free
- Liam Scales - Free
- Dane Murray - Free
- Julian Aurajo - Free (Loan)
- Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain - Free
- Callum McGregor - Free
- Benjamin Nygren - £1.7 million
- Daizen Maeda - £1.5 million
- Junior Adamu - Free (Loan)
- Yang - £2 million
There have been split opinions on this, with some saying it's simply quality in free players, while others argue that it's Celtic "getting what they pay for".
It does look damaging when some of the players who the Hoops didn't pay for, such as the Ox and Junior Adamu, were hooked at half-time after their bad first half performances. Academy product Murray was also partially responsible for a Rangers goal.
But with that being said, players like Aurajo really give their all for the badge. Celtic may choose to make a permanent move for him, but he's an example of when a loan player comes in and immediately gets the club.
Free isn't always a bad thing
The point is that free isn't always a bad thing. If you can get players for cheap, that's amazing, especially if they have the quality to play for a massive club like Celtic.
With millions in the bank though, and the Hoops being ranked the fourth most profitable club in Europe recently, it's understandable why some people are upset about it. If the Celts really do want to take that next step in Europe and also rebuild their team in the summer under a new manager, the board will have to be willing to splash the cash.
It's not as if they don't have it lying around, so it's just the question of whether they are willing to. Turning the Aurajo deal into a permanent one if both parties are interested would be a great first step. The player has impressed since arriving in Glasgow, and fans will be reluctant to see him return to Bournemouth at the conclusion of his loan.