The future of Celtic hero Matt O’Riley is going to be a hot topic throughout the summer so it’s important that the club draw a line in the sand on his asking price.
Coming off the back of a superb season that resulted in 37 direct goal contributions, O’Riley is a wanted man and clubs have already tried to test to resolve of the Scottish champions.
Back in January, it was reported that Atletico Madrid were keen on landing the midfielder but Celtic swiftly booted that out, though the Spaniards are said to retain interest.
Now others are being warded off due to the club’s valuation of over £25m, including one of the Danish international’s former managers.
As Celtic fans, that’s exactly what we want to see. Prospective buyers will have to show real ambition to sign O’Riley up.
Southampton priced out of O’Riley move
Russell Martin, who worked with O’Riley at MK Dons and is a big fan, is said to be keen to add him to his ranks after gaining promotion to the English Premier League with Southampton.
However, The Scottish Sun reports that he believes the Saints’ chances of signing the Celtic star are slim because of the Bhoys’ valuation.
With plenty of other cash-rich sides said to be interested, he reckons they are being priced out of the running.
Celtic pitch themselves at the elite level
This is a good position to be in. It means that if O’Riley does eventually leave Celtic it will be for a fee that the club are wholly comfortable with. We don’t want the midfielder out the door for anything less than a record, apparently.
Celtic are setting the bar high and hopefully ensuring that if their star player exits, it’s to a club that is of a certain level – not the lower reaches of the English top-flight.
In the short-term that delivers a large amount of cash but as a long-term strategy, it tells everyone around Europe that Celtic talents can’t be picked off on the cheap.
Over the next few years, the club should be positioning itself as one that can develop elite players and that only works if those who progress go on to play for elite sides.
At some point, O’Riley’s personal ambitions come into the reckoning but as long as he keeps the head and stays motivated to play for Celtic, the club can play hardball with those who come calling.