Southampton are preparing a £20 million summer bid for Celtic’s midfield star Matt O’Riley.
The newly promoted Premier League side is set to make a substantial offer, with potential future add-ons that could exceed Celtic’s record sales of around £25 million for Kieran Tierney and Jota. These additional payments would depend on Southampton’s ability to stay in the top flight and O’Riley’s future successes.
Saints boss Russell Martin, a keen admirer of O’Riley, previously worked with the midfielder at MK Dons. Since moving north, O’Riley has become a pivotal player for Celtic. Despite financial fair play constraints, Southampton aim to build a competitive squad without overpaying.
O’Riley, a Danish international, was instrumental in Celtic’s double-winning campaign last season. Having signed a new deal in October, he has attracted significant interest.
Spanish giants Atletico Madrid attempted a loan-to-buy deal in January, which Celtic declined. Italian side Inter have also shown long-term interest, and several other clubs are monitoring his situation closely.
O’Riley was disappointed to miss out on the Denmark squad for Euro 2024, which they exited after a 2-0 loss to hosts Germany. Meanwhile, Belgian club Genk are negotiating to sign South Korean forward Oh Hyeon-gyu, and Sead Haksabanovic has moved to Malmo.
Celtic are active in the transfer market to bolster Brendan Rodgers’ squad. A new goalkeeper remains a priority, with Sparta Prague’s Peter Vindahl Jensen among the candidates being considered.
Youngster Rocco Vata has not returned to pre-season with Celtic. The Republic of Ireland Under-21 winger, now out of contract, did not report back with his teammates last week.
Vata remains in Scotland, awaiting a resolution on his future. Watford is among several clubs showing interest. Although Celtic made a long-term offer, Vata has turned it down. It remains to be seen if the club will reconsider their terms.
Celtic are working on multiple fronts to strengthen their squad, aiming to maintain their competitive edge in both domestic and European competitions. The potential sale of O’Riley could significantly impact their transfer strategy this summer.