Norwich acting the goat on Idah £11m valuation, no wonder Adam’s toys are on the floor

Adam Idah appears to have thrown his toys out the pram as the Carrow Road club respond by taking disciplinary action against the Celtic transfer target after he missed a flight to a pre-season match after returning home to collect his mobile phone, which he managed to forget.

Norwich supporters, not for the first time, are unhappy with the Irishman. Before his loan move to Celtic to work under Brendan Rodgers, a coach who managed to get the best out of the Ireland striker, the Norwich fans had Idah down as their whipping boy.

The talk at the time was that he’d be available for around £3m and few would have said anything other than good riddance at the Championship side. Celtic apparently have gone as high as £4.5m for Adam Idah but now it’s emerging through a blogger with a longterm insight into the mind of Celtic chairman Peter Lawwell, has revealed that the £6m valuation that most commentators believed would seal the deal has now almost DOUBLED.

So no wonder Idah’s toys are on the floor. There is no chance that any club would go near that valuation – if they can get it good luck to them. For comparison Celtic could go to Aberdeen and sign arguably a better goalscorer for around £6m. Or to Hearts and spend the kind of money Idah was worth back in February.

It’s fair and reasonable that Norwich want a premium, based on Celtic’s eagerness. The convenient emergence of Italian ‘bidders’ is as convenient from their point of view as the agent of a player perhaps creating a little mayhem on the other side of the fence.

Few if any Celtic supporters would like to see the club buy Idah at any price. Norwich are at it and Celtic should now make a final take it or leave it bid then if that isn’t accepted move on to the next target.

Adam Idah of Norwich City reacts after a missed goal opportunity during the Sky Bet Championship match between Norwich City and Preston North End at Carrow Road on December 09, 2023 . (Photo by Stephen Pond/Getty Images)

That will see Idah’s valuation decrease dramatically, because the Norwich fans will be slow to forgive and Celtic’s decision to walk away will leave others free to make lowball bids. Retaining Idah is bad business for Norwich, there is no upset keeping a want-away player. Celtic know that to our immense cost.

But player power has a way of prevailing in the modern game and if Idah wants to sign for Celtic then it’s still likely to happen. Just not at Norwich’s latest price that’s seemingly forced Peter Lawwell back into the blogging game!

About Author

The Celtic Star founder and editor David Faulds has edited numerous Celtic books over the past decade or so including several from Lisbon Lions, Willie Wallace, Tommy Gemmell and Jim Craig. Earliest Celtic memories include a win over East Fife at Celtic Park and the 4-1 League Cup loss to Partick Thistle as a 6 year old. Best game? Easy 4-2, 1979 when Ten Men Won the League. Email editor@thecelticstar.co.uk

15 Comments

  1. Lawell is a stumbling block as far as Celtic supporters are concerned they don’t trust him he has let to many good players go to other clubs by his barganing yes we are in a small league but we are also in champions league and have been embarrassed in that league supporters don’t boast about money in bank it’s the players on park if Celtic get a high price quoted for a player and don’t think he is worth then go out and buy one that is worth £11,000,000 prove to supporters you are going to spend that kind of money and stick two fingers up at Delia smiths and other clubs that try to play silly buggers don’t you play it lawell

    • This is not about Lawell and no Celtic should not go and pay £11m for a player who is most definitely not worth £11M … As of let players go, seriously what a load of nonsense we NEED to sell players when their profile is high… Look across the Clyde Kent, Morelos and other left for literally nothing, they could have cashed in on them but did not and now paying the price. They now want to emulate Celtic and buy to sell.

    • Poor article. Get your facts right. The new head coach at Norwich rates Idah. He was a scapegoat for some. He is an Irish international and only signed a 5 year contract last year. He is still young. Yes, he might want to go to Celtic but signed that contract and until Norwich say otherwise he is bound by it. He might go to Celtic and the clubs might eventually agree, but until that time he needs to show professialism. BTW- Delia does not decide on the transfers.

  2. I suspect myself, that Norwich are trying to hold out for an unrealistic fee for idah imo?
    Clubs in England could possibly try to make such a claim regarding Oreily with ourselves also?
    The big difference is that we have far more on offer for Oreily to stay, than what Norwich can offer idah at present?
    Can understand Norwich chancing there arm with possibly a 10M figure in mind, especially with ourselves as a CL club with the riches that comes with that also?
    Nicholson himself is also in a no win position either currently?
    If Rodgers has identified idah as his 1st choice target, as we are led to believe?
    Then how long is Rodgers prepared to wait before other targets have to be considered imo?
    We haven’t got the younger prospect striker in position either, even though there potentially won’t be a place available for them within our 25man CL squad for next season on offer for them imo?
    6M seems a fair price for idah, and possibly far more than they would have expected, when they loaned him to ourselves in the first place?
    With not putting a buy offer in place for the loan deal, could be looked upon as no one really knew what idah had at the time of the loan, to what he is potentially worth now to ourselves?
    It wasn’t as if idah was greeted upon as a potential brilliant signing for ourselves in the 1st place either?
    Only shows how quickly things can change within the footballing world?
    Still believe that the idah deal will eventually get sorted out, but Rodgers seems far more blessed with patience than I am over the whole saga at present imo?

    • No. The price is £6m. Because some blogger says he’s heard it’s £11m doesn’t make it so. It is clearly nonsense.

    • What we offer Idah is exactly the same as what he was offered when he signed his long term contract just a few months ago. The style of play that the new coach wants to implement could suit Adam much better than Wagner’s. It would cost us massively more than £4 million to replace him like for like. Therefore, why should we put ourselves at a big disadvantage in order to give Celtic what they want. If it is easy to pick up proven forward players for the peanuts that you have offered then I suggest you go and buy those other, easily available options and leave Adam to concentrate on his Norwich career. If you are claiming to be a big club, much bigger than us in what you have to offer, put your money up to prove it. Otherwise, leave the boy alone to settle in with his new coach.

  3. Peter Cassidy on

    I would go for the lad at Aberdeen has scored plenty of goal for them over 2 seasons and tom Conway likely get both for £9/10 million far better deal.

  4. Rob O’Keeffe on

    Agree with Peter and, whisper it,Idah isn’t brilliant.With the chances we make,Shankland and Miosivic would score plenty

  5. I’d go to £5 million but not a penny more. The guy is decent and did a reasonable job (aided by Butland’s errors in 2 games) but no more than that – he’s not as good as Miovski.

  6. A strange article, with a number of questionable comments. Firstly, the fans have nothing to do with his valuation, or whether he stays or goes. The decision making process belongs to Ben Knapper and Zoe Webber.

    In terms of fee. I have no idea where the 11m came from, but Celtic must ask how much would they be prepared to sell him for themselves. If he does well this season (after signing), is this a player in the 4-5M bracket?

    Idah has been a frustrating player at City, when 18 he was linked with Man UTD, he clearly had huge potential. If the truth be told, Norwich didn’t handle his development well, he’s a player who should have been sent out on loan for experience.

    Do Norwich want to keep him? I don’t know, if he realised his potential, then yes. However, Norwich need to sell this summer, and I’m sure Norwich would prefer to keep the likes of Rowe, Sara and Sargeant if they could.

    Previous to his spell with Celtic, Italy looked a more realistic option, I think the reality is Norwich are hoping for further bids from abroad to set his value, its then up to Celtic whether they’re prepared to match it.