Southampton have now learned the tremendous asking price of one of Russell Martin’s transfer targets.
With Premier League football returning to St Mary’s in August, Russell Martin will have his eyes locked on bolstering his squad this summer.
Southampton have already been linked to a host of players, as the South Coast club aims to remain in the top flight beyond the 2024/25 campaign.
While Martin desires to reunite with one of his former students, the Saints boss could face a significant problem to the tune of eight figures in his pursuit of a reunion.
Celtic name asking price for Southampton transfer target Matt O’Riley
As reported by journalist Alan Nixon, Southampton’s chances of signing Celtic midfielder Matt O’Riley are now ‘slim’.
The news comes as a result of Celtic placing a £50m valuation on their star player, whom Martin is a ‘huge admirer of’ after managing him at MK Dons.
Nixon claims that the asking price is ‘miles over’ Southampton’s budget to acquire the 23-year-old and is a price that has ‘already scared’ Premier League rivals Brighton.
While Martin ‘would love’ to sign the Scottish Premiership star, it’s now understood that it would take a club-record fee to lure O’Riley away from Celtic, who understandably want to retain the midfielder.
O’Riley could take Southampton to the next level
As Celtic claimed their 54th Scottish Premiership title, O’Riley was at the heart of all things mighty for the Hoops.
The Denmark international contributed to a whopping 31 goals in 37 league appearances, via Sofascore, scoring 18 and claiming 13 assists from central midfield.
Based on his numbers in front of goal alone, it’s abundantly clear why Southampton are eager to recruit O’Riley, who was once dubbed ‘flawless’ by journalist Matthew Fulton.
While Martin got the best out of his players over the 2023/24 campaign, there is room for improvement, with a spot in the midfield there for O’Riley to challenge for at St Mary’s.
With Stuart Armstrong’s future in doubt and Joe Aribo’s form less reliable, acquiring O’Riley could present the manager with the perfect upgrade ahead of the Saints’ Premier League return.
That being said, as Nixon’s report emphasises, it will be increasingly difficult for the South Coast club to sign the Celtic superstar if the Scottish champions maintain their significant asking price.
Only time will tell if a lower offer proves to be enough to lure the 23-year-old away from Glasgow, as Martin desperately seeks a reunion with his former player in preparation for next season.