Victor Wanyama was the wide-eyed, almost awestruck television interviewee in the immediate aftermath of Celtic's win over Barcelona. Earlier he had scored a goal and outshone Alex Song, Barça's player in a similar midfield role, in showing the wider world that maybe, just maybe, Neil Lennon was correct to place such a lofty value on Wanyama.

Eyebrows were raised when Lennon claimed Wanyama, a player bought by Celtic for £900,000 from Belgian football last year, is now worth £25m. The Scottish champions are under no pressure to sell any squad member, but Wanyama's string of high-level displays against foreign opposition only endorse the sentiment that it's just a matter of time before he exits Glasgow. On Tuesday evening in Lisbon's Estádio da Luz, Wanyama will be afforded his latest round of intense, wider focus.

Already, the least Celtic can expect in such a scenario is 10 times their investment. Gone are the days when Celtic's followers can take umbrage at the prospect of players using their team as a platform to England. By the board's own admission, that is a modern-day, economic reality.

Wanyama, born in Kenya but who intriguingly played youth football in Sweden, is now a hot property, of that there is no doubt. Larger clubs from across Europe, including Barcelona, monitored his progress during relative obscurity at AC Beerschot without making the same formal move of Celtic after Lennon acted instantly when provided with match footage. Initially, Wanyama was regarded as a long-term project by Lennon; the combination of midfield injuries and the youngster's instantly impressive first-team form altered that dynamic.

Now Arsenal, Manchester United and Manchester City are routinely quoted with more than a passing interest in the Kenyan, who ensured instant acclaim from the Celtic support by choosing the squad number 67, in recognition of the club's celebrated, European Cup-winning Lisbon Lions of that year.

Victor Mugabe Wanyama's family sporting credentials are beyond dispute. He is the brother of McDonald Mariga, the Internazionale midfielder currently on loan at Parma, and of Mercy, a female basketball player. The trio's other two siblings play in the top league in their native Kenya, while their father, Noah Wanyama, was himself a footballer. Victor Wanyama made his Kenya international debut at 15; this year, he is on the shortlist for the country's sports personality of the year award.

The 21-year-old has been deployed on occasion at centre-back by Celtic but is most comfortable in the centre of midfield. He combines a mobile but physically imposing approach with strong tackling, decent distribution and a fearsome, if under-used, shot. In emphasising his all-round game, Wanyama has a wonderful capability to glide past opponents. His attitude is also praised by everyone who has worked with him in Scotland.

Lennon has already described Wanyama as "world class", the Celtic manager adding: "He's a player who has progressed in physical presence and his technical ability on the ball is excellent. I think he is a wonderful talent and he can only get better."

Yet with youth also comes inconsistency. Just four days after seeing off Barcelona, Wanyama toiled as Celtic were held at home by St Johnstone. Domestically, if forgivably, that wasn't an isolated Wanyama display.

Celtic hold Wanyama under contract until 2015, but already there have been agent-led noises about the midfielder seeking a bigger platform and rejecting the offer of a wage improvement. Bargaining tactic No1 from the Wanyama camp, of course, will be that if Celtic value the Nairobi-born man so highly they should pay him accordingly. Given the clear mutual benefit of Wanyama's arrival in Scotland, it would be sad if he exits on anything other than favourable terms.

All of which raises the question over what monetary value Celtic can legitimately look to collect when Wanyama is inevitable coaxed towards bigger things. It would rank as a major shock if Lennon's figure is met, a matter which is more related to Wanyama's present working environment than his level of talent.

Craig Gordon and Alan Hutton were coaxed to England from Hearts and Rangers respectively for close to £10m, with such fees for cross-border moves rare rather than the rule. Celtic sold Aiden McGeady to Spartak Moscow for a similar amount, even if the riches at the disposal of Russian clubs renders it difficult to use the Republic of Ireland player as a comparison.

Still, Wanyama's fee will also depend on which clubs follow through with moves to sign him. A bidding war, clearly, would benefit the selling club, as would Wanyama continuing his European prominence against Benfica and in a Celtic team which has solid hopes of progressing to the Champions League's knockout phase.

Such qualification is Wanyama's most immediate aim. His future already looks well capable of taking care of itself.