Celtic fans reacted with an online shrug of the shoulders to news that Southampton have agreed a fee to sign Stuart Armstrong.
A fee of around £7m has been discussed which will no doubt include the famous ‘add-ons’ that provided the hoops with a windfall when Virgil van Dijk left Southampton for Liverpool.
Celtic midfielder Stuart Armstrong is set for a £7m move to Southampton after being given permission to speak to the Premier League club.https://t.co/1ovXnb6Ysl pic.twitter.com/5oZcF4p4WV
— BBC Sport Scotland (@BBCSportScot) June 22, 2018
Not so bad business actually! He has regressed since last year. All the best to him!
— LouMun 67 ?????????????????????????????????? (@lfmunro) June 22, 2018
That’s French Eddie paid for?????????????
— Celtic Nation (@CelticNation67) June 22, 2018
To be fair when Tom Cairney is subject to 20m bids and the young boy Maddison who was alright at Aberdeen last year is going for 22m, that doesn’t look too bad at all.
— David Dornan (@DavidDornan) June 22, 2018
If its 7 million, that’s great business by lawell for a player with 12 month remaining on his contract.
— scott McIntyre (@scottMc85081322) June 22, 2018
£7m?
heheh
Yes please, I’ll pack his bags.
Cheers stuey, enjoy the epl.
— Frankie (@FrankieQuillan) June 22, 2018
7m for an international player who will only get better is a good buy for Southampton. Well done the board who have held out for a decent fee considering his contract remaining. I’d say anything between 5 and 8m is fair
— bmac (@bryanmclean19) June 22, 2018
A year ago there would have been uproar over Armstrong leaving for less than £10m but after a drawn out saga over his contract and lacklustre form in the season just finished it seems that a parting of the ways suits all parties.
The midfielder did sign a 12 month extension at the start of last season but that that simply pushed the impasse back a further year.
Long term contracts for Kris Ajer, Tom Rogic and Odsonne Edouard suggest that there is no problem with the terms on offer to players that want to play a role under Brendan Rodgers.
Armstrong joined Celtic in February 2015 when Ronny Deila was in charge and has always given the impression that a lucrative move to England was his biggest ambition.
Celtic and Southampton have been involved in a number of recent transfers with the deal expected to be completed over the weekend.
