Elijah Just leaves the World Cup with 3 goals in 3 matches for New Zealand, and his own line about the fallout was blunt enough: "I hope he's busy". The bigger story is that he is part of a wider Scottish Premiership market shift, with Motherwell, Celtic and others pushing valuations up instead of settling for quick sales.
The prices being set
Arne Engels was the subject of a £25m Nottingham Forest offer in February that Celtic rejected. Motherwell negotiated a club-record transfer of more than £4m to sell Lennon Miller to Udinese last summer, while Hearts are said to be seeking up to £8m for Claudio Braga after he beat Just to the Premiership PFA award last term.
Hibernian's sale of Kieron Bowie could reach £7m, which fits the same pattern. These are not isolated figures. They show Scottish clubs are more willing to price their best players as premium assets, even when the market outside the league has long been used to cheaper access.
World Cup exposure has pushed the market harder
Just is the clearest example because the tournament output was so clean. Three goals in three World Cup appearances for New Zealand gives clubs a simple data point, and it came while the wider conversation around Scottish-based talent was already growing.
Nicolas Raskin added his own moment in Belgium's comeback against Senegal, coming off the bench while they were 2-0 down in the round of 32 and helping spark the win. Alistair Johnston has also played 380 World Cup minutes across 4 appearances for Canada, which keeps him in the same visibility bracket. The common thread is obvious enough: international football has given these players a bigger platform, and the prices around them have risen with it.
The hard part for buying clubs is that the selling sides now have examples to point to. Celtic already turned down £25m for Engels. Motherwell have set a stronger floor with Miller. Hearts and Hibernian are not hiding their numbers either. That is the market Scottish clubs have decided to live in now, and Just's agent is probably going to be busy.
FAQ
Why are Scottish Premiership clubs asking for bigger fees now?
Motherwell, Celtic, Hearts and Hibernian are all pushing prices higher rather than selling cheaply. Elijah Just's World Cup form has sharpened interest, Celtic rejected a £25m Nottingham Forest offer for Arne Engels, Hearts are said to want up to £8m for Claudio Braga, and Hibernian's Kieron Bowie sale could reach £7m.
Has Elijah Just's World Cup made him more valuable?
Yes. Just scored 3 goals in 3 World Cup matches for New Zealand, then said of his agent: 'I hope he's busy'. The tournament has turned him into a clearer market story, and Motherwell are now being discussed in the same bigger-fee conversation as Celtic, Hearts and Hibernian.
Are Scottish clubs really rejecting low transfer offers more often?
The evidence in this piece suggests they are. Celtic turned down a £25m Nottingham Forest bid for Arne Engels, Motherwell negotiated more than £4m for Lennon Miller to Udinese, Hearts are said to be seeking up to £8m for Claudio Braga, and Hibernian's Kieron Bowie deal could reach £7m.
Written by Sam Whitfield with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 1 outlet. How we work →