Norwich City has done some incredibly amazing business over the previous decade or so, finding some real jewels – but they have also done an excellent job of selling high.

One of the better examples of this would have to be the transfer of Adam Idah to Celtic in the summer of 2024, with Norwich receiving a large fee of £9.5 million for a player who was always going to be on the fringes of things in the Championship.

After turning professional with Norwich in 2019, Idah appeared to be a player with a lot of potential, making 12 Premier League games in the 2019/20 season.

The next season in the Championship should have provided an ideal opportunity for Idah to flourish and become a key member of a promotion-chasing Norwich side.

Despite three goals in 17 games, the Irishman frequently deceived, and his entire tenure at Carrow Road was littered with bursts of brilliance that suggested a modicum of consistency could propel him to the top of the division – but that consistency never arrived.

After a better but still dismal start to the 2023/24 season, Norwich eventually approved Idah’s original loan move to Celtic, which marked the beginning of a transaction that would bring the Canaries a significant and unexpected profit.

Adam Idah started well with Celtic and earned Norwich millions.

After switching to Celtic midway through the 2023/24 season, Idah was entrusted with assisting Kyogo Furuhashi, Daizen Maeda, Luis Palma, and Nicolas Kuhn in an incredibly effective Bhoys assault.

Idah not only bolstered the forward line and provided depth, but he also established himself as a vital player for Brendan Rodgers, scoring eight goals in 15 Scottish Premiership matches as the Hoops won another league title.

Idah immediately became a cult hero at Celtic Park, particularly after he scored the winning goal against Rangers in the Scottish Cup final at Hampden Park to complete the domestic double late in the season.

It became critical for Celtic to guarantee that Idah stayed in Glasgow permanently, and their summer transfer window, which included the arrivals of Kasper Schmeichel, Paulo Bernarrdo, Auston Trusty, and Arne Engels, was dominated by the chase of Idah.

Despite scoring only 17 goals in 116 appearances for Norwich in all competitions, City were able to get the Republic of Ireland international for a cost estimated to be about £9.5 million.

Adam Idah eventually confirmed Norwich’s right to cash in.

After returning to Celtic as a prolific, trophy-winning hero, his reputation with the Scottish giants dropped after signing a permanent contract.

Despite the multitude of opportunities presented to him in a Celtic-dominated competition, Idah scored only 13 goals in 35 Premiership matches.

For context, Furuhashi, who left the club for Stade Rennais midway through the season, finished only three goals behind that total despite only 22 appearances, and Reo Hatate, a more defensive-minded box-to-box midfielder, finished just three behind him as Idah chased Kuhn and Maeda at the top of the Celtic scoring charts.

Having become infamous for squandering big chances, 19 in all, the most of any Celtic player that season, as well as general ineffectiveness, it was evident very immediately that Norwich had ripped Celtic off.

Swansea stepped in to help Celtic on the final day of the summer transfer window in September 2025, offering £6 million for Idah. Perhaps it speaks volumes that Celtic were willing to absorb a £3.5 million loss.

As was the case with Norwich and later Celtic, Idah, despite the fee, is down the pecking order in South Wales, demonstrating that Norwich CEO Ben Knapper secured an outstanding bargain with Idah’s first sale in August 2024.