The Old Firm have always paid peanuts for players from other Scottish clubs.
The Glasgow twins know that, as soon as they publicly express any interest, the player and his agent will agitate to make the move inevitable.
Very occasionally, Celtic and Rangers miscalculate. Hibs wouldn’t sell McGinn to Celtic for just over £2 million; so they sold him instead to Aston Villa for just under £3 million!
Not proper value, but Aston Villa knew only a little more than the pennies offered by Celtic would get them their man.
Anyway, you get the idea. The Old Firm effectively control the market and dictate the prices.
Only one transfer in the last 20 years has broken this rule – the move of Craig Gordon from Hearts to Sunderland in 2007 for £9 million.
However – and sadly – Gordon’s move did not establish a precedent. Instead, it stands out like a sore thumb, reminding Scottish clubs of the one occasion when a transfer fee has reflected the proper market value of a player with an Also Ran club.
This transfer fee market manipulation is just one example of the negative impact of the Old Firm duopoly on Scottish football.
It is a total disgrace.
Time for Change.
Scottish Football Matters 