Celtic decided to back Brendan Rodgers in the transfer market last summer as they brought the manager back for a second spell at Parkhead.
They then snapped up nine new recruits to bolster his squad. Maik Nawrocki, Gustaf Lagerbielke, Odin Thiago Holm, Paulo Bernardo, Hyun-jun Yang, Hyeok-kyu Kwon, Nat Phillips, Marco Tilio, and Luis Palma all came through the door.
The Northern Irish head coach was then provided with two more signings in the recent January transfer window as Nicolas Kuhn arrived on a permanent deal from Rapid Wien and Adam Idah joined on loan from Norwich City, with no option to make it permanent.
There have also been exits under Rodgers and the squad was trimmed before the deadline of the most recent window passed at the start of last month.
David Turnbull and Yosuke Ideguchi were both sold, to Cardiff City and Vissel Kobe respectively, whilst Tilio, Kwon, and Mikey Johnston were all sent out on loan.
How much Cardiff paid to sign Turnbull
Football Scotland reported that the Championship side splashed out a fee of £2m to secure the Scottish central midfielder's services on deadline day.
His contract with Celtic was due to expire at the end of the current season. This meant that the January transfer window was their last chance to cash in before potentially losing him for nothing in the summer.
The move came after the 24-year-old dud had failed to establish himself as a regular starter for the Hoops during the first half of the season.
Turnbull started nine times in the Scottish Premiership under Rodgers and scored seven goals, with three of those coming from the penalty spot, in 16 league outings in total.
Celtic signed the young midfielder from Motherwell in the summer of 2020 and he went on to enjoy a decent, if unspectacular, career in Glasgow.
The Scotland international racked up 31 goals and 23 assists in 134 appearances for the Hoops in all competitions across three-and-a-half-years at the club, which shows that he did offer a threat at the top end of the pitch as a scorer and a creator of goals.
One of his best seasons in a Celtic jersey came during the 2020/21 campaign playing as a number ten for Neil Lennon, prior to Ange Postecogou's arrival in the summer of 2021.
Starts
30
5th
Goals
Nine
3rd
Assists
Six
3rd
Big chances created
12
1st
Key passes per game
2.9
1st
Sofascore rating
7.47
1st
As you can see in the table above, the Scottish gem, who Frank McAvennie claimed offered something "different" to the team, made a big impact in the final third, particularly with his creativity, as an attacking midfielder.
However, he then only started 26 league games in two seasons under Postecoglou and then never found a regular place in the team under Rodgers either.
His current form for Cardiff now suggests that Celtic and the Northern Irish head coach played a blinder with his sale as they raked in £2m for a player who is now struggling, and worse than Johnston, who is in the same league with West Bromwich Albion.
David Turnbull's form for Cardiff
The 24-year-old has not hit the ground running in Wales as he has found the transition to playing Championship football a tough one so far.
After a cameo against Watford at the start of February, Turnbull was named in the starting XI for Cardiff's clash with Preston North End at home on the 10th.
Minutes played
72
Shots taken
Zero
Key passes
Zero
Duels won
Two
Sofascore rating
6.6
As you can see in the table above, it was a frustrating afternoon for the Scottish midfielder as he did not make any impact at the top end of the pitch.
The former Motherwell starlet's selling point at Celtic was that he could contribute with goals and assists, as shown by his aforementioned statistics, but that has not been the case for him so far in Wales.
In seven Championship appearances, Turnbull has not scored a single goal and provided just one assist for his teammate – that solitary goal involvement coming in the recent win over Bristol City.
These statistics suggest that Rodgers hit the jackpot by selling him to the Bluebirds as the Celtic fringe player has struggled badly in English football so far.
Mikey Johnston's form for West Brom
Whereas, his former teammate Johnston has thrived in the second tier of football in England since his move on loan to West Brom on deadline day.
The 24-year-old whiz had only started three Premiership matches for Celtic before his temporary exit and chipped in with two goals and two 'big chances' created.
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Rather than cash in on him, like they did with Turnbull, the Hoops decided to send him out on loan to play regular football with the Baggies, which currently looks to have been a fantastic decision.
Johnston has been a terrific signing for Carlos Corberan's side as he has already made an instant impact on the pitch in their battle to secure promotion to the Premier League.
In seven league appearances, as many as the Scottish dud has played for Cardiff, the Ireland international has scored three goals and created one 'big chance' for his teammates.
Appearances
Six
Seven
Starts
Three
Four
Goals
Zero
Three
Big chances created
Zero
One
Assists
One
Zero
Sofascore rating
6.77
7.06
As you can see in the table above, Johnston has significantly outperformed Turnbull in the Championship for West Brom with his quality as an attacking force for his temporary club.
Both players are attack-minded players who look to make an impact in the final third, with goals and assists, but only one of the former Celtic teammates have been successful in doing so, as it stands.
Therefore, Rodgers played a blinder with his decision to sell Turnbull yet loan out Johnston as the former has struggled badly and is currently a worse option at Championship level than the latter.
Hopefully, this trend will continue and the Hoops will look on at the £2m they received for the Scotland international as great business, whilst the Irish whiz returns to compete for a first-team spot next season after an impressive spell on loan in England.