Celtic agreed a €19 million (£16.5–17 million) deal to sell German winger Nicolas Kühn to Serie A side Como on Thursday, completing a remarkable fivefold return on an initial £3 million outlay 18 months ago. And now we have a timeline for his departure.

The winger is expected to fly to Como this Monday or Tuesday for his medical, and importantly having already agreed personal terms on a four‑year contract — and a huge increase in wages, pivotal to the player’s ambitions. It’s prompt departure that serves both player and club neatly.

For Celtic, it’s shrewd business. The German impressed massively in 2024–25, scoring 21 goals and supplying 15 assists in all competitions—highlighted by a Champions League brace against RB Leipzig. Yet, as his form dipped late in the season, the club saw opportunity.

For Kühn, this move is calculated. Interest from bigger names like RB Leipzig and Newcastle was noted, but Serie A offers him regular top‑flight minutes and visibility in a country famed for tactical development. A strong season in Italy may well bolster his bid for a Germany call-up.

Celtic must now again go and reinvest wisely to make their next star. The club’s financial success is down to unearthing talent and moving on for a much higher fee. Sometimes that happens after two or three years and others earlier, like in this case.

While some will bemoan Celtic selling the German, it has to be noted he was pushing for a move and as we’ve bore witness to over the years, if you have a player who doesn’t want to be there anymore, you should cut them loose.