Sky Sports reporter reveals the escalating value of Celtic midfielder

Anthony Joseph has discussed the escalating value of Matt O’Riley.

Two years ago the midfielder was getting used to regular first team football with MK Dons after growing frustrated with the way things were stalling at Fulham.

When Riley McCree opted for the bright lights of Middlesbrough in January 2022 Ange Postecoglou switched his focus to League One with a £1.5m activation fee bringing O’Riley into the cut and thrust of an SPFL title race.

After a Man of the Match debut at Tynecastle O’Riley and fellow January recruit Reo Hatate were the driving force in a 3-0 Glasgow Derby triumph that saw Celtic move into top place.

Over the last two years the former MK Dons man has enjoyed two Champions League campaigns, scored against Lazio and picked up his first full cap for Denmark.

That progress has been noted elsewhere, in September O’Riley extended his contract until 2027 but Celtic’s strategy suggests that it is unlikely that the highly talented midfielder will be spending Christmas 2024 in Glasgow.

Assessing his situation Joseph told The Celtic Exchange (19 minutes 20 seconds):

There’s no doubt that there are lots of clubs tracking him, the thing is with Inter Milan, they are thinking of making a move in January so that is the difference. Whereas you have clubs like Aston Villa, West Ham, Atletico Madrid, you have all sent scouts, monitoring the situation but Inter Milan see it as an opportunity- we want to get him in now just so that we secure him.

So that changes it a little bit but  Celtic is in a very good position regarding Matt O’Riley. He’s just signed a new contract, a bumper contract at that. Celtic rejected £10 million from Leeds United in the last couple of days of the transfer window and that sort of sparked Celtic wanting to get him down on improved terms.

I mean when Leeds were coming in with £10 million bids the thought process was, certainly from the conversations I had, I don’t think Celtic would have entertained anything under £15 million.

But even £15 million probably wouldn’t have done it. It would have had to be around £20 million to open that conversation, I think anyway.

And with a new contract that’s got to be the case again. The fact he signed a new contract I would reckon Celtic wouldn’t open the conversation until unless there was £20 million maybe even up to £25 million.

On Friday Sky Sports were running with a claim that Inter Milan were looking to sign O’Riley on loan with a deal in place to make that move permanent in the summer.

That sort of deal is one that Celtic can easily resist with around £50m expected for participation in next season’s Champions League which comes with winning the SPFL Premiership title.

Bids next summer in the region of £25m will be difficult for the Celtic board to resist with the big question being whether Mark Lawwell has identified a like for like replacement with doubts around after the summer 2023 intake of seven project signings.