Celtic, Rangers, Dundee & Hearts Make Scotland The Gateway To European Football – Data Analysis

Scotland is proving to be the perfect breeding ground for footballers making the move to Europe.

Over the past five seasons, many of the league’s most exciting players have been acquisitions from outside Europe.

Automatically, people think of the Japanese contingent who have been vital to Celtic’s recent success.

Many will also highlight Dundee’s purchases from the Mexican market over the past couple of seasons.

The emergence of Rangers’ deadly Moroccan forward, Hamza Igamane, is another example of a quality purchase made outside of Europe.

This recruitment analysis will assess the transfers of non-European players to Scottish Premiership clubs.

All transfers assessed were made from the summer of 2021 to the present day.

This article will demonstrate why some of the world’s top talents are choosing Scotland.

Consideration of why Scottish clubs are looking beyond Europe will also be made.

Why Are Football Players Choosing Scotland? 

There are several reasons for players outside of Europe to consider a move to England.

The proximity to England is a massive bonus.

Players make the move across the border into the English game every season.

The potential to be monitored by clubs in England’s top division is a highly lucrative aspect of playing in Scotland.

Another benefit that Scotland can boast is European football.

Scotland had a representative in each of UEFA’s elite club competitions this season.

Competing against some of Europe’s best teams will again open up more opportunities to be spotted by top clubs across the continent.

Why Are Scottish Clubs Looking Beyond Europe?

It’s interesting to also consider why Scottish clubs are exploring markets outside of Europe.

Due to Brexit, the acquisition of EU players has been more difficult for British clubs.

Since January 2021, GBE regulations have been in effect.

The GBE regulations put in place by the British government has made signing non-European players more viable than ever.

Players receive points for the level of league they play in, international caps and continental club competition appearances.

Players need a total of 15 points to qualify.

A panel in the Scottish FA can also decide to make exemptions for players who fail to reach the required points.

The panel will be provided with references from international managers, who will help them decide whether to grant them permission to play in Scotland.

The points that players receive from playing in leagues outside Europe can sometimes make players from Asia and the Americas more appealing than European players.

In the 2019/20 season, only one transfer in the Scottish Premiership involved a non-European player moving from their home country.

Since the 2021/22 season, there has been an average of 12 transfers of players from outside of Europe moving to Scotland.

With this in mind, which countries have been the most prolific when exporting to Scotland?

From Which Countries Have Scottish Premiership Clubs Signed Non-European Players?

From this map, it’s evident which countries have provided the most players for Scottish Football.

Australia (14) and Japan (9) have been the nations clubs that have signed the most non-Europeans.