During the January transfer window, Celtic managed to keep all of its star players without losing any of them to teams willing to pay hefty fees.
The Hoops let David Turnbull, who was unable to establish himself as a consistent starter, sign a permanent contract with Cardiff, while Mikey Johnston, Marco Tilio, and Hyeok-kyu Kwon were sent out on loan.
As evidenced by the recent purchases and subsequent sales of players like Victor Wanyama, Fraser Forster, Odsonne Edouard, Jota, and Kristoffer Ajer for higher prices, Celtic have a long history of cultivating and profiting from potential.
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In the summer of 2013, Neil Lennon moved quickly to broker a deal to buy the 21-year-old central defender for a reputed £2.6 million from Dutch team Groningen.
With 47 appearances in all competitions during the 2013–14 season—36 in the Scottish Premiership and six in the Champions League—the 6’5” colossus quickly cemented himself as a regular starter for the Northern Irish manager.
The next season, Van Dijk participated in an incredible 58 games in all competitions for the Hoops, contributing an impressive 10 goals and eight assists as a center-back.
To strengthen the defensive options of then-boss Ronald Koeman, Premier League team Southampton emerged victorious in the fight to sign the Dutch behemoth, reportedly for a sum of £13 million
This meant that, just two years after paying Groningen £2.6 million to recruit him, the Glasgow giants had made 400% of their money back. In 2015, the Saints paid an additional £10.4 million for his services.
Therefore, Lennon struck gold when he signed the tall center-back for Celtic in 2013, as he not only produced excellent play on the field but also brought in a sizable number of money for the team in the future.
