Celtic have secured a timely financial windfall after Jeremie Frimpong completed a £35 million move to Liverpool, three years on from leaving Glasgow for Bayer Leverkusen.
The Dutchman, who made his senior breakthrough at Celtic Park, has gone from strength to strength since swapping the SPFL for the Bundesliga, resulting in his switch to the Premier League this week.
While Celtic can rightly claim a huge part in Frimpong’s rise, questionable comments from Bayer Leverkusen’s managing director Simon Rolfes have not gone unnoticed among the Hoops support. Rolfes highlighted Leverkusen’s recruitment model and described Frimpong as a key example of their approach — signing young, talented players from what they see as lower leagues, developing them, and then selling them on to top European sides.
Soccer Football – DFB Cup – Final – 1.FC Kaiserslautern v Bayer Leverkusen – Olympiastadion, Berlin, Germany – May 25, 2024 Bayer Leverkusen sporting director Simon Rolfes before the match REUTERS/Thilo Schmuelgen DFB REGULATIONS PROHIBIT ANY USE OF PHOTOGRAPHS AS IMAGE SEQUENCES AND/OR QUASI-VIDEO.
He said: (Bayer Leverkusen), “Jeremie is a perfect example of the path Bayer 04 Leverkusen has successfully followed many times: bringing a young, highly talented player from a lower league, developing him into a key player to achieve our goals, and thus making him attractive to top European clubs.
“Through this transfer, we can and will shape Leverkusen’s squad of the future. Jerry was a key player in our double-winning team; he has become a fan favourite with his special style and strong performances. Now he wants to prove himself in the Premier League with Liverpool FC. We all wish him the best of luck.”
Although the Bundesliga is undeniably a more competitive league than the SPFL, using league strength with club stature fails to account for Celtic’s continued place on the European stage and their role in developing elite players.
Frimpong’s own story is a case in point, it was in Glasgow that he was given his first real opportunity in senior football, quickly establishing himself as a fans’ favourite under Neil Lennon.
Celtic also deserve credit for how they handled the original deal. When Frimpong left for Bayer Leverkusen in January 2021, the club made sure to include a sell-on clause. That smart move now means they’ll receive a decent chunk of the £35 million Liverpool paid. While the exact number isn’t confirmed, it’s believed Celtic will get between 10–15% of the profit Leverkusen made — which adds up to several million pounds.
Even with Rolfes’ dismissive comment, there’s no getting away from Celtic’s place in European football. The club’s not just a force in Scotland — it has a proud history of developing top players like Frimpong, even without the financial power of Europe’s richest leagues.
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