Liam Scales, born on 8 August 1998 (age 28), is an Irish central defender who joined Celtic from Shamrock Rovers in August 2021. His last full season in Ireland had already shown a bit of substance: in 2021 he scored twice in 23 league appearances for Shamrock Rovers, his most productive league campaign before the move to Glasgow.
At Celtic, Scales has had to build his place rather than inherit one. That has probably done him no harm. He is not a showy defender, but he has become a useful and trusted part of the squad, wearing number 5 and giving Celtic a left-sided option in the middle of defence.
His Celtic spell has also brought a decent return in medals. Scales has won three Premiership titles, two League Cups and one Scottish Cup with the club, as well as being part of a side that finished as Scottish Cup runners-up. That is a solid haul for a player whose path into the team was not always straightforward.
In 2026-27, he has featured for Celtic in the league, League Cup, Scottish Cup and Champions League qualifiers, while also making three World Cup qualifying appearances for the Republic of Ireland. His current market value is around £4.5m, according to Transfermarkt.
Scales remains part of the current Celtic side: an established squad defender with international recognition, a clear Celtic medal record, and a career that has been built steadily rather than noisily.
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