Despite speculation, former Celtic hero Chris Sutton doesn’t think it’s an iron-clad guarantee that Matt O’Riley will be saying goodbye to the Bhoys this summer.
Reports have been rife since January that the club will field big-money offers for the Danish international during the off-season after stellar form throughout 2023/24.
O’Riley scored 19 goals and assisted 18 more from midfield, marking him as the best and most valuable player in Scotland right now.
With clubs apparently circling, it would be little surprise to see the player move on to a bigger or cash-rich league like we’ve seen in the past with Kieran Tierney, Moussa Dembele, Odsonne Edouard and Jota.
However, Sutton has offered an alternative view and reckons O’Riley could again pull on the green and white hoops next season.
Chris Sutton on Matt O’Riley
The former Celtic striker said [Daily Record]: “O’Riley was one of the few Celtic players who didn’t look out of place in the Champions League and that was why Atletico Madrid came calling in January. It must have been bitterly disappointing for him to miss out on Germany. But the question is now, what happens next? There’s been this assumption he’ll be going but it doesn’t have to be the case. It will depend on his options and how much clubs are willing to pay.
“Celtic are financially strong and have no need to let him go on the cheap. Missing out on the Euros could have a knock on effect on his value in the transfer market. But Celtic don’t need to sell anyway. The fact he’s not in the shop window could be a positive for Brendan Rodgers in all of this.
“O’Riley seems to have a solid head on his shoulders and won’t just jump at the first opportunity. It will need to be right for him – as well as for Celtic. If it’s something like £30m, it’s a no brainer for all. But if not, we could see O’Riley deciding to stick around for another season, have another crack at the Champions League and see where it takes him.
“Look, there’s every chance he could go, but I just think there’s still a strong possibility he could be around next term.”
Celtic fans would love O’Riley stay
Celtic supporters understand that the club have to maximise the value of players and will sell if huge offers come along.
However, they enjoy what they see on the pitch more than the balance sheet and O’Riley staying would be a huge boost.
If he’s happy and motivated in Glasgow then he could again be a catalyst for success next season, supported by an ever stronger squad around him with some summer transfer business.
The smart prediction is probably still on an O’Riley exit but as Sutton notes, Celtic hold all the cards, so it would have to be record-breaking money to get the deal done.