Celtic has no plans to sell Matt O’Riley in January.
According to Football Insider, the Scottish giants intend to keep the centre-forward beyond 1 February.
Leeds United and Leicester City are among the clubs that have been linked with a transfer of the 23-year-old in recent months.
O’Riley has earned much praise for his performances in the Premiership, where he has contributed 10 goals and 7 assists in 21 appearances this season.
He has also earned a call-up to the Danish national team and could be a key part of their summer campaign at the European Championships.
Interest in Matt O’Riley’s transfer:
O’Riley has been linked with a transfer to Leeds and Leicester in the past, but Celtic have failed to convince them to sell him.
Girona and Inter Milan are in competition, with both European clubs interested in the centre forward.
Girona are currently top of the Spanish league table and Inter are first in Serie A.
A summer move could suit Leeds and Leicester as they will decide their future by then.
Their status as a Championship club could be a major obstacle in persuading the Danish international to transfer from Celtic.
However, promotion to the Premier League could persuade O’Riley to opt for a move to English football.
We previously reported that Celtic were asking £25 million for the player, which is also an amount that will be difficult to afford for a side competing in League Two.
Both clubs are fighting for direct promotion back to the Premier League after relegation last season.
The Foxes lead the Championship table with a seven-point advantage over second-placed Ipswich Town.
However, Enzo Maresco’s men will take on Tractor Boys on Monday night in a crucial match in the fight for automatic promotion.
Meanwhile, Leeds are fourth in the standings, chasing the top two who fell behind at the start of the campaign.
Daniel Farke is under pressure to secure promotion as the club overhauled its first-team squad over the summer.
A number of fresh faces have come in after key departures and a change of ownership has led to a renewed investment in improving the squad.
A positive development for Leicester and Leeds:
If O’Riley had left Celtic this month, it is unlikely that he would have made it to the second tier of English football.
A move to Serie A or La Liga would be much more tempting, especially with the prospect of immediately winning a major silverware if he joined the league leaders.
But a summer move would be more likely for both clubs if they were to secure promotion to the Premier League.
Therefore, this is a positive development for both Leeds and Leicester as O’Riley would be a great reinforcement for both teams at this stage.