Celtic supporters were once again forced to watch on as one of the club's best players moved on from Parkhead during the summer transfer window as Jota completed a move to Saudi Pro League side Al Ittihad.
Who are Celtic's biggest sales?
The unfortunate reality for the Hoops is that they are not competing in a major European league, like the Premier League, and that means that their top talent is open to be snapped up each year.
Jota
£24.9m
Kieran Tierney
£23.1m
Moussa Dembele
£18.8m
Edouard Edouard
£13.9m
Virgil van Dijk
£13.4m
Alongside head coach Ange Postecoglou moving to England to join Tottenham Hotspur, the Bhoys were dealt a huge blow as Jota left after two years, one of which was spent on loan from Benfica, at Parkhead.
The Portuguese ace produced an outstanding 11 goals and 11 assists for Celtic in the Scottish Premiership last season and averaged a club-leading Sofascore rating of 7.45.
Central midfielder Matt O'Riley could be the next star to depart the club for a significant fee after the Hoops reportedly rejected bids from Serie A side Bologna and English Championship outfit Leeds United.
His excellent performances in midfield have attracted attention from other clubs in Europe and that could continue if he enjoys another impressive campaign this term.
Who could replace Matt O'Riley at Celtic?
Celtic already had a player with the potential to replace the Norway U21 international on their books until they released him in the summer of 2022 – Luca Connell.
The talented youngster had joined the Hoops from Bolton Wanderers in 2019 after he had made 12 appearances for the English club as a teenager.
However, the central midfielder failed to break into the first team at Parkhead and was sent out on two loan spells to Queen's Park FC.
Connell produced three goals and five assists in 11 League Two outings during his first stint there during the 2020/21 campaign and that convinced them to bring him back for the following season.
The Irish ace went on to chip in with seven goals and six assists in 31 appearances in all competitions for Queen's Park, which included seven goals and five assists in 30 League One matches.
However, his form was not good enough to convince Postecoglou that he was worth keeping around and the club released him at the end of that second season, which was in the summer of 2022.
At the time of his move to Barnsley on a free transfer ahead of the 2022/23 campaign, Transfermarkt valued him at just €100k (£86k).
How many goals has Connell scored for Barnsley?
The Ireland U21 international has scored two goals in 49 appearances in all competitions for the English club to date and enjoyed a terrific season last term.
Connell produced two goals and nine assists in 40 League One starts for Barnsley as they went on to lose to Sheffield Wednesday in the play-off final at Wembley.
The left-footed, like O'Riley, magician showcased his ability to provide a creative presence in the middle of the park as he led his team, alongside Adam Phillips, for assists last season.
He also displayed his ability to track back and defend for the side with 2.3 tackles and interceptions per match to go alongside a duel success rate of 52%.
Only two Barnsley players managed more tackles per game than Connell (1.5), which shows that the Irish gem was willing to put his foot in to disrupt the opposition whilst also being able to provide consistent quality on the ball.
His form was also recognised by his peers as the central midfielder was named in the PFA League One Team of the Year, which shows that his fellow players deemed him to be one of the best within the division.
How much is Luca Connell worth now?
At the time of writing, Transfermarkt value Connell at €800k (£691k), meaning that his market value has soared by a staggering 700% within the space of one year after his departure from Parkhead.
The former Bolton prospect, who was hailed as "outstanding" by journalist Josh Bunting last season, is thriving with Barnsley and has proven himself to be an exceptional performer at League One level, which coincidentally is something that O'Riley did prior to his move to Scotland.
Celtic snapped the Norwegian talent up from MK Dons after he had produced seven goals and seven 'big chances' created in 26 League One matches during the first half of the 2021/22 campaign to earn himself a transfer to Paradise.
O'Riley was then able to carry his form over to Scottish football and enjoyed a sublime 2022/23 campaign with the Bhoys under Postecoglou.
He averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.30, which was the second-highest in the squad behind Jota, and contributed with three goals and 12 assists from the middle of the park in the Premiership, which shows that he is not a prolific scorer but can set up his teammates week-in-week-out.
The former Fulham prospect proved himself to be a creative presence in midfield for Celtic as he produced more league assists than any of his teammates
His superb form has led to interest from teams in Europe and that could become a problem for the Hoops and Rodgers over the next few transfer windows if more bids come flying in for his signature.
Unfortunately for Celtic, they already had a player with the potential to be the dream heir to O'Riley in Connell, whose aforementioned form suggests that he has the ability to offer similar qualities as a creative left-footed midfielder.
He is a creative maestro who can unlock the opposition's defence on a consistent basis and has proven himself to be an outstanding player at League One level, the same standard of football that the current Hoops star proved himself at before his stardom at Parkhead.
At the age of 22, Connell also still has plenty of time left to develop and progress as a player over the years to come, so releasing him on a free transfer is a decision that the club may go on to regret for some time to come.
