Celtic have brought through a number of talented young prospects throughout the academy system in Glasgow over the years to bolster their first-team squad.
Whilst supporters may like to see fresh new signings come through the door every window, the club must also leave room for youth prospects to have a pathway into the senior set-up if they show enough promise.
Brendan Rodgers brought in nine new first-team signings during the summer transfer window but already has the likes of Callum McGregor, Stephen Welsh and Anthony Ralston – who all came through the academy – on his roster.
Gustaf Lagerbielke, Hyeok-kyu Kwon, Hyun-jun Yang, Maik Nawrocki, Nat Phillips, Luis Palma, Marco Tilio, Paulo Bernardo, and Odin Thiago Holm all joined ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.
Hopefully, though, they will not prevent the next star from rising through the ranks at Parkhead if Rodgers is willing to offer them a chance to catch the eye in the senior side.
One Celtic manager who was not afraid to lean on youth was Ronny Deila as the Norwegian head coach hit the jackpot with central midfielder Callum McGregor.
Where did McGregor start his career?
The midfield maestro came up through the U17 and U20 sides at Paradise before being afforded his first chance of regular first-team football out on loan with Notts County in England.
He made the most of his spell during the 2013/14 campaign as the talented youngster racked up 41 appearances in all competitions and contributed with 14 goals and one assist.
McGregor scored 12 goals in 37 League One outings for County as he showcased his ability to make a significant impact at the top end of the pitch from a central midfield position.
It was an impressive first season of senior football for the Scottish gem as he gained valuable experience that stood him in good stead ahead of his Celtic breakthrough.
By the end of his loan spell, Transfermarkt placed his market value at just €150k (£130k) as he had only played in the third division of English football by that point.
When did McGregor make his Celtic debut?
Deila joined Celtic in the summer of 2014 and opted to place his faith in McGregor after the 21-year-old's impressive spell with Notts County.
He handed the young midfielder his first-team debut for the Hoops against KR Reykjavík in a Champions League qualifier in July 2014, in which the academy graduate played the full 90 minutes and scored the only goal of the match.
The Bhoys failed to qualify for the group stages of Europe's premier cup competition but the Scottish ace did contribute with three goals and one assist in six qualifying matches that term.
McGregor then went on to play 17 times in the Scottish Premiership throughout the 2014/15 campaign and chipped in with two goals and two assists from midfield.
However, he did fail to produce a single goal or assist in five Europa League group stage outings after his success in the Champions League qualifying rounds.
How many appearances has McGregor made for Celtic?
The 30-year-old ace has gone on to rack up an outstanding 428 first-team appearances for Celtic in all competitions since Deila handed him a debut nine years ago.
He has made himself a crucial player over the course of almost a decade and is still a star within the first-team squad to date as the central midfielder goes in search of more trophies to add to his collection.
The experienced machine, who signed a new five-year contract earlier this year, has won a staggering 20 pieces of silverware with the club and five domestic trebles, which the club claims to be a world record for any player in football.
His best season in a Celtic shirt to date arguably came during the 2021/22 campaign as he was crowned the PFA Scotland Player of the Year, which shows that his peers viewed him as the best player in the division that term.
McGregor, who was handed the captain's armband by Ange Postecoglou at the start of the season, showcased his ability in and out of possession in midfield.
He averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.13 and caught the eye with 1.4 key passes and 2.2 tackles and interceptions combined per match. Only three players with at least five appearances made more key passes and none made more tackles (1.5) per outing than the skipper, as per WhoScored.
The Hoops leader, who was ultra-reliable in possession with a pass success rate of 90%, made an impact at both ends of the pitch and was rewarded for his fine form with his Player of the Year award.
How much is McGregor worth now?
At the time of writing, Transfermarkt value McGregor at €8.5m (£7.3m), meaning his value has soared by a staggering 5,567% from the initial €150k that he was valued at ahead of the 2014/15 season.
Therefore, Deila hit the jackpot with his decision to unleash the young midfielder in the first-team after his impressive loan spell with Notts County and this is a perfect example of why it is important for managers to be willing to lean on academy players if the talent is there.
Aaron Hickey
£21.5m
Kieran Tierney
£21.5m
Callum McGregor
£7.3m
Jack Hendry
£2.5m
Ben Doak
£2.5m
McGregor happens to be one of the most valuable Celtic academy products in the game at the moment and is not showing any times of letting up.
The 30-year-old maestro has just under five years left to run on his current contract with the Scottish giants and there is plenty more – appearances, trophies, goals, and more – to come from the Scotland international over the coming seasons.
He was dubbed "irreplaceable" by former boss Postecoglou and that still appears to be the case today as Rodgers has started him in all seven of the club's league matches so far this term.
Hopefully, McGregor will have another successful year at Parkhead and possibly increase his market value even further to emphasise his importance to the Hoops and show the benefits that can come from unleashing academy players at the right time.