For Chris Sutton, the former Celtic striker, it is an argument that does not stand up to scrutiny.
You only need to look, he says, as a player who won three successive Scottish Premiership titles and four successive Scottish Premiership Young Player of the Year awards.
Kieran Tierney rose through the Hoops ranks and went on to make over 150 first-team appearances before securing himself a £25 million move to English giants Arsenal.
Sutton says that Tierney – even if he might have fallen out of favour at the Emirates in recent times – is a ‘prime example’ of the rewards that can come your way if you are patient enough.
In contrast, there are those who took a very different path to Tierney and now may be living with a pang of regret in the pits of their stomach.
Liam Morrison left Celtic for the lure of Bayern Munich but returned to the UK with second-tier Queens Park Rangers this month. Barry Hepburn, another who swapped Glasgow for Bavaria, has played second tier football himself in Australia.
And then there is Karamoko Dembele.
The one-time social media sensation leaving Celtic on a free transfer and ending up playing for Blackpool while becoming a persona non grata at Stade Brest in France.
Chris Sutton sends warning to Celtic youngsters
“I’d urge caution. I’d suggest the grass is not always greener,” Sutton tells the Daily Record. “You look at the ones who have left in recent times. We saw Barry Hepburn and Liam Morrison head to Bayern Munich before they even penned pro deals at Parkhead.
“Is that where they saw their careers going (failing to make their mark at Bayern)? You can go back to Karamoko Dembele. When he was a teenager, you had Scotland and England fighting over him as he was the next big things.
“But he’s now 21 and was at Blackpool in League One last term.”
Sutton is not convinced that whizzkid Ben Doak made the right call either.
The teenager was called up for Scotland’s initial Euro 2024 squad but played only five first team Liverpool games during Jurgen Klopp’s final season.
“If he had stayed at Celtic, you can bet he would have featured a heck of a lot more last season than he would have at Anfield,” Sutton adds. “Especially when you consider the injury issues they had.
“Why not stay and fight for your place at Celtic. Because if you are good enough, you are old enough.”
Daniel Kelly sent Bayer Leverkusen message
As far as Sutton is concerned, then, there is enough evidence to suggest Daniel Kelly would be making a mistake following Hepburn and Morrison to the Bundesliga. German champions Bayer Leverkusen are interested.
And, with Kelly seemingly unwilling to sign a new contract, manager Brendan Rodgers has removed the 18-year-old midfielder from his pre-season plans.
“Sure, it’s a tempting prospect going to the German champions,” Sutton admits. “But would his odds of a regular game improve there?
“Is he going to dislodge Germany midfielder Robert Andrich? Is Granit Xhaka going to make way after being one of the stars of the Euros for Switzerland?
“It would be great if he did, but it’s unlikely.”
Celtic have already lost one of their bright young hopes this summer. Rocco Vata found himself in a similar boat to Kelly, and has since moved south of the border with Watford.
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