With details released today about the ever growing gulf in wages paid in the major leagues it’s more likely than ever that Celtic will be busy in the ‘project’ end of the transfer market.
Bringing in low cost teenagers to be developed into Champions League players is a tough ask but a worthy ambition.
Victor Wanyama didn’t quite fit that criteria but the intention of finding relatively unknown players ready to step up is the aim as the club scouts across Europe hoping to find the next big thing.
Kristoffer Ajer probably fits into that category at the moment with the young Norwegian being the last signing of Ronny Deila’s tenure.
Brendan Rodgers likes what he sees in Ajer, possibly more as a central defender than midfielder, but getting the right balance in development is crucial.
It looks like Ajer will be going out on loan in January, click on the link below to see how five other project signings have fared.
JOSH THOMSON
Arrived with lots of promise from Rochdale in August 2009 and was almost immediately put into the first team squad by Tony Mowbray.
He was regularly described as a former Manchester United trialist but looked way too slow to cut the mustard in defence.
In the second half of the 2009/10 season he was given a regular place in the team, surviving the changeover from Mowbray to Neil Lennon and making a total of 21 appearances.
Once Lennon was given the job on a permanent basis Thompson was sent on loan to a couple of lower division clubs in England and at 25-years-of age he is currently playing in the National League for Southport.
THOMAS ROGNE
Arrived as a trialist and was quickly signed up with a fee of £100,000 going to Norwegian side Stabaek.
Rogne really looked like being the real deal, a powerful defender with a good touch on the ball but constant muscle injuries halted his development.
He did manage to make over 40 appearances before leaving for Wigan in the summer of 2012 but that move proved to be disastrous. Now back in Scandinavia with IFK Gothenburg he seems to have recovered his fitness, at 26 years of age he’ll be looking for a move back to a bigger league.
MILAN MISUN
There was a lot of expectation on the young central defender as Celtic started to spread their scouting net into the former Eastern Europe.
At the age of 18 he seemed to have a lot to offer but in Tony Mowbray’s first match in charge, against Brisbane Roar he suffered cruciate ligament damage in the 86th minute.
Once he had recovered he went on loan to Dundee but that only lasted a match with the club put into administration.
There were reports of him moving to Sheffield Wednesday on trial at one stage but he is now enjoying life back in the Czech Republic playing for FC Vysocina Jihalava.
ANTON KURAKINS
In February 2009 Kurakins was signed from Blazma Rezekne with a view to developing into a member of the first team squad.
At 18 years of age with a strong international pedigree the future looked bright until the SPL decided to abandon the reserve league with one club in particular finding it hard to make ends meet.
Kurakins was sent out on loan to Brechin City, where Jim Duffy was the manager, then had another stint on loan at Stranraer.
Last season he joined Hamilton Accies but quit the club in August and is currently unattached.
RABUI IBRAHIM
He arrived with a wonder-boy tag but if it hadn’t worked out for him at Sporting Lisbon or PSV Eindhoven why would it be any different at Celtic?
The tiny Nigerian had plenty of skill but Neil Lennon’s side had plenty of midfielders making opportunities exceptionally rare. He made two appearances, one as a substitute the other against Arbroath in the Scottish Cup in the 2012/13 season.
He played under Kenny Shiels at Kilmarnock before moving on to Trecin of Slovakia where he spent two seasons before joining Gent at the end of the summer transfer window.