Southampton are set for a busy summer of recruitment following their promotion to the Premier League.
With their fate decided via the play-offs – in which they beat Leeds United 1-0 in the final – Southampton have had less time than other clubs to get their summer plans in order.
Now, with promotion secured, Russell Martin and owners Sport Republic can start to try and build a squad capable of staying in the Premier League next season.
Taylor Harwood-Bellis became the club’s first signing of the summer, as the terms of his loan deal from Manchester City meant that Southampton paid £20 million for the permanent signing upon promotion being confirmed.
Now, Southampton are being linked with a midfield player who could help take them to the next level.
Southampton linked with move for Matt O’Riley
Firstly, Southampton are desperate to lock down the future of Flynn Downes, who has been a standout performer on loan from West Ham United.
However, once Downes’ future is confirmed, Southampton will look to add a more attack-minded midfield player and it looks as though that could be Celtic’s Matt O’Riley.
According to Give Me Sport, Martin is a big admirer of O’Riley and Southampton are ready to up the ante now they have been promoted.
The Give Me Sport report says: ‘Scottish Premiership champions Celtic are facing a battle to hold onto O’Riley heading into next season, according to GMS sources, as Southampton are poised to test their resolve after making the decision to target the Denmark international in the aftermath of rubber-stamping their return to the top flight.’
Any assumptions that the Dane would be cheap could be well wide of the mark, though, as Celtic reportedly value their asset at £30 million.
Matt O’Riley would greatly improve Southampton midfield
There is no question that the addition of O’Riley would be a really exciting one given he is an incredibly talented footballer.
Having signed for Celtic from MK Dons for an initial fee of just £1.5 million in January 2022, O’Riley has gone from strength to strength.
Having scored just seven SPL goals in his first 18 months at the Parkhead club, the twice-capped Denmark international scored an impressive 18 league goals and provided 13 assists in the league this season according to Transfermarkt.
This sort of form attracts interest and former Rangers striker David Healy has compared his eye for goal and ability to find space in the final third to none other than Frank Lampard.
Speaking after O’Riley made his Denmark debut against Northern Ireland in November 2023, Healy said: “He’s a wee bit like Frank Lampard. He makes those delayed runs into the box.”
Former Celtic midfielder Stuart Armstrong faces an uncertain future with his contract set to expire this summer and it could well be that O’Riley is the player who has been identified as the man to replace the 32-year-old as the creative force in the Saints midfield.
His capture would elevate the spine of Southampton’s side to a new level and he could line up alongside Downes and either Will Smallbone or Joe Aribo.
Whether Southampton see fit to part with £30 million for his signature remains to be seen, but if he provides the creativity to help keep them in the Premier League then it will be difficult to argue against it being worthwhile.