Celtic midfielder Matt O’Riley was asked about his future after the Bhoys lifted the Scottish Premiership trophy on Saturday.
O’Riley has been a standout performer for Celtic this season, scoring a magnificent 19 goals in all competitions and contributing another 18 assists. His latest game today in a 3-2 victory over St Mirren.
It’s dynamite stuff from midfield and, inevitably, these performances have led to speculation that he could be in line for a big-money move this summer. Celtic reportedly rejected a bid from Atletico Madrid in January.
Brendan Rodgers spoke about the situation earlier this week, insisting Celtic don’t need to sell the Denmark international. However, rumours will persist into the summer.
Matt O’Riley would find it hard to leave Celtic
Soaking in the atmosphere at Celtic Park, O’Riley was asked how difficult it would be to walk away from scenes like Saturday’s.
The midfielder told Sky Sports: “That’s a tough question. Yeah, it would be very difficult (to walk away from Celtic). I have said before, the club means a lot to me now.
“I think right from day one, I fell in love with the club because the fans are so crazy and passionate, you know, it’s a proper family. Yeah, one more game to focus on and I will take it from there.”
Celtic hold the cards on potential O’Riley deal
The reality is that it’s probably going to be pretty difficult for Celtic to keep hold of O’Riley. We’ve been through this before as fans. From Kieran Tierney to Jota – we all know the market out there.
The player himself could well feel like it’s time for him to compete in a more illustrious league, especially if cash-rich English Premier League sides come calling. If that is the case, the club are unlikely to stand in his way.
This is the model Celtic have subscribed to in the last decade and it has paid off handsomely. What’s clear, however, is that the Bhoys hold all the cards on a potential deal and any suitors will have to pay big, big money to lure O’Riley away.
