Celtic midfielder Matt O’Riley has enjoyed a strong campaign under Brendan Rodgers and has produced plenty of excellent moments along the way.
From the start of the Irishman’s tenure, it became apparent that O’Riley, after establishing himself under Ange Postecoglou, would be a key cog in his side during his second spell at Parkhead.
Since then, the 23-year-old has moved on to new heights on the pitch, amassing 14 goals and 16 assists in 43 appearances across all competitions this term [Transfermarkt].
In the Scottish Premiership, the Denmark international has amassed around 2.8 shots per game, 1.4 of which hit the target, alongside creating 12 big chances, illustrating his capacity to fashion and convert opportunities at will [Sofascore].
With Celtic four matches from the end of the league season, O’Riley is expected to be a crucial player in our hunt for a third successive title before his future is resolved in the summer.
Back in January, the London-born man was subject to a failed bid from La Liga giants Atletico Madrid after Rodgers confirmed that he would be sticking around for the remainder of 2023/24 in Glasgow.
Undoubtedly, speculation surrounding your next move is bound to impact one’s mental state, though O’Riley has since made an admission on how he dealt with the unique set of circumstances.
Matt O’Riley on shutting out Celtic exit rumours
Once the summer transfer window opens, it would be hard to envisage O’Riley not being an attractive prospect for several elite clubs, especially if he is selected for the Denmark squad for EURO 2024.
Either way, his only focus for now will be to ensure he can finish the campaign with two pieces of silverware under his belt, which would only serve to enlarge his stock on the market.
Speaking to Sky Sports Scotland after being nominated for the PFA Scotland Scottish Premiership Player of the Year award, O’Riley gave an insight into how he blocked out the noise in January, claiming that he even banned his parents from speaking about interest from elsewhere when asked about his situation.
He stated: “Yeah, I have to be fair. I have said that to my parents, of course agents and even people within the club. People naturally want to talk about stuff like that but I think it is a big distraction when I have got a job to do here.
“It was mainly just a case of where my attention was, to be honest. When the noise is there, if your attention is on that, then naturally, when you are on the pitch, it is going to be in the back of your head.
“I addressed that and spoke to one of the coaches I work with outside of football, and we really just focused on coming back to basics, and it helped a lot.”
Matt O’Riley has handled pressure admirably at Celtic
Having a large volume of pressure on young shoulders is never easy for any player; however, O’Riley has taken it in his stride, delivering on occasions such as our Glasgow Derby draw against Rangers and in the Scottish Cup semi-final against Aberdeen, netting in both fixtures.
Admittedly, he hasn’t been the star of the show in every match he has played in since the turn of the year, though his determination to impact from a defensive perspective has been another important facet of his contribution.
Celtic are lucky to have a player that possesses O’Riley’s talent and adaptability, so we will enjoy his presence for the rest of the season, which can hopefully help us over the line to complete a domestic double.