Peter Lawwell has claimed that Celtic twice broke their record transfer fee during the summer Transfer Window.
Among all the figures being thrown about over turnover, profit and money in the bank it is quite easy to get dazzled but as a lifelong Accountant the Celtic Chairman will be aware of the importance of accuracy. The truth can’t be part of a Player Trading Model.
During the summer of 2023 Celtic’s transfer activities were heavily criticised with Mark Lawwell, son of the Chairman, heavily criticised for his signings in the project field with seven arrivals priced at under £3.5m.
None of those signings have been involved this season, it seems that the message of buying cheap buying twice (or three times in the case of midfielders and wingers) has been taken on board with a shift towards quality over quantity.
In his statement with the 2024 Celtic Accounts released yesterday Lawwell claimed:
Since the year end, and up to the closure of the transfer window on 30 August 2024, we have invested a further £31.2m into player registrations (including transaction costs).
Over the summer transfer window, we twice broke the Club’s previous record transfer. As a result of this period of sustained investment, our current squad carries the highest value and resulting amortisation charge in the Club’s history, by a considerable margin.
Going into the transfer window it was widely accepted that Odsonne Edouard was Celtic’s record signing, costing £9m from Paris Saint Germain in 2018 with an additional sum probably sent to the French side three years later when the striker was sold to Crystal Palace.
After a variety of bids were rejected a deal was agreed with Norwich City for Adam Idah on August 14.
These days fees are rarely revealed, at the time of the transfer most reports put the fee at between £6.5m to £8.5m, there was nothing suggesting more than £9m.
There could well be add-ons involved but as the examples of Calvin Bassey and Nathan Patterson demonstrate add-ons aren’t guaranteed.
On Deadline Day Celtic did sign Arne Engels from Augsburg with most reports putting the fee at £11m, again there will be add-ons, a standard practise these days.
Lawwell’s comment states that Idah cost Celtic more than Edouard, he will know the figures involved, the figure involved will be included in the accounts for the year to 30 June 2025.
At the 2019 and 2023 Lwwell told the Celtic AGM that he had never read the Five Way Agreement of 2012 which provided a newly formed club a separate set of rules.
Michael Nicholson told the 2022 AGM that he had read the Five Way Agreement.
You’re ability to sprinkle dog shite over gold is astounding,,, relentless,
fair play to you
Editor: Nice of you to drop in, best wishes to all the deluded old farts at CQN.
He is a proven liar.
Never trust a liar.
He’s probably boasting about selling Matt.
You know when you’re talking to Lawwell face to face – because Dick Turpin always wore a mask!
To be a good liar you need an even better memory.
This parasitic lying bastard should be run out of our great club before he does any more damage.
No doubt it would virtually have been radio silence over at CQN since the latest financials were announced as the happy clappers fell wanking to the floor in total admiration for this fat slug’s announcement.
Him and his fellow boardroom troughfeeders are a cancer in our great club.
Lawwell, the man who speaks with forked tongue. He should get a job in a Parlour, as he likes Massaging Figures, or a house of Ill repute, as he likes shafting people.