Celtic’s most expensive signings of all time

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?

Here’s the top 10, with one player actually appearing on the list twice.

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

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

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

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.

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.