Celtic sold a “cheat code” who’s now being rated more highly than Van Dijk

Over the last decade or so, Celtic supporters have been blessed to witness some ultra-talented gamers donning the well-known inexperienced and white hoops.

Earlier this 12 months, the Day by day Document declared the Scottish champions because the “greatest run membership in Britain” with regards to their very profitable switch technique of shopping for unknown youthful gamers, giving them a platform on which to shine earlier than promoting them for enormous income.

Matt O’Riley was the most recent participant on this conveyor belt, departing for Brighton for £25m this summer season, having been signed from Milton Keynes Dons for a mere £1.5m, however there are numerous different examples from the latest previous too, together with a sure Virgil van Dijk.

Virgil van Dijk’s time at Celtic

Unquestionably, probably the most high-profile participant to have featured for Celtic within the final twenty years is Van Dijk.

Signed from Groningen for a mere £2.6m switch payment, it turned obvious that the Dutch defender, nonetheless in his early 20s, was just too good for Scottish Premiership degree, with supervisor Neil Lennon later admitting he informed van Dijk, throughout his very first day at Lennoxtown, to “get pleasure from your self… you will not be right here lengthy”.

Finally, following Celtic’s Champions League play-off spherical defeat to Malmö in 2016, van Dijk was offered to Southampton for round £13m, earlier than then transferring to Liverpool for then transferring to Liverpool for £75m, on the time turning into the costliest defender in historical past, with the Hoops reportedly pocketing greater than £6m via a sell-on clause.

On condition that van Dijk has gone onto develop into the undisputed greatest centre-back within the Premier League, successful the Champions League and ending second within the 2019 Ballon d’Or rankings, behind solely, arguably, the best participant to ever play this sport, it’s mind-blowing that this man performed for Celtic, banging in free-kicks at a half-empty Hampden throughout a 3-2 defeat to Inverness Caley Thistle.

Nonetheless, there may be one other former Celtic defender on the market who may in the end eclipse all that his fellow Dutchman Van Dijk has achieved.

The previous Celtic star rated extra extremely than Van Dijk

When Jeremie Frimpong arrived at Celtic from Manchester Metropolis for a mere £300,000, he was simply 18-years previous and had by no means made a senior look in his life.

Nonetheless, he instantaneously turned a followers’ favorite, truly named Celtic’s Younger Participant of the 12 months by supporters following his debut marketing campaign in Glasgow.

Throughout that season’s League Cup Last, Frimpong was despatched off for committing a last-man foul on Rangers’ striker Alfredo Morelos.

Nonetheless, Fraser Forster saved the next spot-kick, with Lennon’s facet holding on for a well-known 1-0 victory over their fiercest rivals within the pouring rain, with Frimpong giving this post-match interview to BT Sport, which can eternally endear him to the fanbase.

The membership even launched a variety of “Oh My Days” t-shirts with Frimpong, enthusiastically as ever, saying: “I by no means anticipated to have my very own t-shirt, I’m actually pleased about it!”.

Frimpong was then offered to Bayer Leverkusen for £11.5m in January 2021 and his inventory has solely skyrocketed subsequently.

Final season, he was one thing of a “cheat code” within the phrases of scout Antonio Mango, deployed in an attack-minded, right-wing-back position, Frimpong was a key determine for Bayer, scoring 14 targets and offering 12 assists.

This got here as die Werkself went via a whole Bundesliga marketing campaign unbeaten, the primary facet to attain this in German top-flight historical past, hoisting aloft the Meisterschale for the very first time, additionally getting their palms on the DFB-Pokal, their sole defeat of your entire marketing campaign, in any competitors, Could’s Europa League Last loss to Atalanta.

Already this season, even with die Schwarzroten unable to recapture their type from the title-winning marketing campaign, Frimpong has two targets and an ultra-impressive seven assists to his title, most not too long ago heading in the right direction throughout Saturday’s victory over Union Berlin at Stadion An der Alten Försterei.

At worldwide degree too, he was handed his full-senior debut by Ronald Koeman in October 2023, scoring his first aim for the Oranje in opposition to Canada at De Kuip in June, predominantly deployed as a right-sided attacker for Holland, together with beginning in that position in opposition to France in the course of the Euros.

Frimpong is routinely linked with a transfer away from Bayer, with Liverpool, Manchester United and Actual Madrid amongst these reportedly excited by his providers.

This may very well be excellent news for Celtic supporters, on condition that the Hoops are entitled to a 30% sell-on clause, so, if Frimpong’s reported £34m launch clause have been to be met, £7.3 million can be heading the best way of the Glasgow giants.

Because it occurs, this week, it was introduced that Frimpong has been shortlisted by FIFA’s The Finest for one of the best defender on this planet award, a number of 22 nominees that truly options Celtic’s present incumbent at right-back Alistair Johnston, in addition to some barely extra high-profile names.

That being stated, it does not function a sure Van Dijk, suggesting that the sport’s largest organisation see Frimpong forward of him at this stage of their two careers.

The proper-back, nonetheless solely 23-years previous, appears set to be the following sensation that nobody can fairly imagine used to play for Celtic.