Former Celtic manager Martin O’Neill has weighed in on the hypothetical valuation of club legend Henrik Larsson in today’s transfer market, using the recent high-profile move of England international Declan Rice from West Ham to Arsenal as a benchmark.

Rice, a standout midfielder, recently made a staggering £105 million switch to Arsenal, a transfer that has caught the attention of the football world and set a new standard for player valuations.

Drawing a comparison between Rice’s transfer and the potential worth of Larsson, O’Neill, who managed the Swedish striker during his time at Celtic, offered a bold assessment. He believes that Larsson, known for his prolific goal-scoring ability, would command an even higher fee in today’s inflated market.

“Let’s say he was 26 or 27 years old and in his prime. If Arsenal have just paid £105 million on Declan Rice, when it comes to a prolific goalscorer like Henrik, we’ve got to be talking about him being worth around £150 million,” O’Neill said. [Daily Record]

That fee would see Larsson command the third biggest transfer fee in world football, with only Neymar and Mbappe’s transfers to PSG beating the £150 million.

Henrik Larsson, fondly known as the ‘King of Kings’ by Celtic fans, scored 242 goals in 315 appearances for the Hoops between 1997 and 2004. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest players in the club’s history and one of the finest strikers of his generation.

O’Neill’s valuation, while hypothetical, underscores the immense talent and impact that Larsson had during his time at Celtic. It also highlights the skyrocketing transfer fees in modern football, especially for players of exceptional quality.

In an era where elite talent commands extraordinary transfer fees, O’Neill’s comments offer a fascinating glimpse into how one of Celtic’s all-time greats might be valued today. It is a testament to Larsson’s enduring legacy that, even years after his retirement, his name continues to resonate powerfully in discussions about football’s elite.