Barcelona legend Xavier Hernández has stunningly claimed that Celtic must spend upwards of £17.6million on a player if they’re to become a serious title contenders in European football.
Celtic crashed out of the Europa League on Thursday night after a huge 3-0 defeat at the hands of Zenit St Petersburg in Russia.
Former Spain and Barcelona playmaker Xavi has now suggested that Brendan Rodgers needs to sign add some quality players to his ranks in order to improve his squad performance in the European competition, but to do that he has staggeringly claimed that the need to absolute decimate a near-two-decade-long transfer record.
The 38-year-old as Barca playmaker said, as quoted by the Daily Record:
“Celtic are a club that I have an affection for.”
“But if they want to compete in the Champions League they must add more proven quality.
“The transfer market has gone crazy over the last 12 months. Neymar changed everything.
“Not many clubs can spend 100, 150, or even 200 million Euros on a player – but €15-20 million Euros needs to be where any club with ambitions, like Celtic, needs to be spending.”
Celtic’s biggest ever transfer fee paid was £6million on the signing of Chris Sutton in 2000 with the same amount being touted again on John Hartson a year later.
Since then, the club have not really come near to breaking the bank that much with the highest amount spent on one player in this decade was the procurement of Olivier Ntcham from Manchester City for a reported £4.5million.
Celtic doesn’t look like a club who’s going to spend anywhere near the £17.6million that Xavi is claiming, but could always attract the “quality” players that the Barca legends speaks of by tempting them with pretty much guaranteed silverware and Champions League football every season.