Rodgers hit the jackpot for Celtic with Titan, whose value has soared 233%.

This season, the impressive defender has cemented himself as a regular for the Hoops.
Celtic decided to bring Brendan Rodgers back to Parkhead for a second spell in charge last summer, following Ange Postecoglou’s departure to Tottenham Hotspur.

The Northern Irish manager has had a mixed season thus far, with the Hoops being knocked out of the League Cup in August and finishing last in their Champions League group, despite remaining top of the Scottish Premiership table.

This suggests that the reunion has been far from perfect, especially after Postecoglou won the domestic treble last season, but there have also been some positives.

Rodgers, for example, has played brilliantly with central defender Liam Scales since his return to Glasgow, as the latter’s value has skyrocketed this season.

Liam Scales’ worth last summer

The Republic of Ireland international spent the 2022/23 season on loan with Aberdeen in the Premiership and was valued at €600,000 (£513k) by Transfermarkt at the end of May 2023, which was also his value when the Northern Irishman was appointed on June 19th.

Scales played 31 games in the Scottish Premiership for the Dons, completing 75% of his attempted passes and gaining valuable minutes in the division.
The 25-year-old titan also recorded 2.9 tackles and interceptions per game and won 66% of his ground duels, demonstrating his ability to dominate opposing attackers on the deck.

Before that season, he had made only 13 competitive appearances for Celtic. This is why getting out there and playing regular game time was critical for his development, as his progression was hampered by his lack of minutes at Parkhead.

Liam Scales’ current market value.

At the time of writing (09/02/2024), Transfermarkt valued Scales at €2 million (£1.7 million), a 233% increase from the €600,000 valuation at the start of the season.

Last summer, Gustaf Lagerbielke, Maik Nawrocki, and Nat Phillips were all signed to compete for his position at centre-back, making it difficult for Rodgers to establish himself as one of the first-choice options.

However, the former Leicester City manager put his trust in the former Aberdeen loanee and was rewarded with a string of impressive defensive performances.
As shown in the table above, Scales ranks high among his Celtic teammates in a variety of Premiership metrics this season.

The Irish colossus, who was praised as “outstanding” by Chris Sutton earlier this season, has started 23 league games for the Hoops and made 147 ball recoveries.

His pass accuracy has increased from 75% last season to 88% this season, indicating that the talented gem has improved his ball control to reduce mistakes in possession.
The Celtic enforcer has also won 70% of his ground duels in the league this season, up 4% from the previous season, as he has consistently dominated players on the deck.

Overall, Rodgers hit the jackpot by giving Scales a chance to impress, as the centre-back has emerged as a player on the pitch and his market value has skyrocketed.

in other news, David Turnbull suggests that “other things” might have contributed to Celtic’s transfer departure.