‘All-round top player’: Neil Lennon says Celtic star proof that transfer policy is working

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Neil Lennon says Matt O’Riley is a prime example that Celtic’s transfer policy of buying ‘young and hungry’ players is working.

On Saturday, Celtic, after their disappointment in the Champions League in midweek, breezed past Livingston by scoring three goals with no answer, despite Joe Hart seeing red in the first half.

Matt O’Riley, who joined from MK Dons in 2022, continued his fine start to the new season when he found the back of the net for the fourth time this term.

Bhoys legend Lennon stated that the 22-year-old has been ‘outstanding’ under Brendan Rodgers and how he is starting to ‘blossom into an all-round top player’, as he told Sky Sports (23/09/23 at 2:40 pm). 

From Matt O’Riley’s six Premiership games this season, he has scored or assisted in every single one, bar that drab goalless draw at home to St Johnstone.

It’s a quite incredible run of form from the technically-gifted midfielder, with Lennon in awe at how he is growing as a player.

Matt O’Riley shines for Celtic at Livingston 

“O’Riley has just been outstanding this season,” said Lennon. “He popped up with another goal.

“Matt O’Riley is making those late runs into the box, and again, he is on a great goalscoring run, at the minute. It’s absolutely priceless for Celtic.

“I think he is a great example of the transfer policy here. This is Matt’s third season now and we are really starting to see him blossom into an all-round top player. 

“This is what Celtic do. They go out and buy these young hungry players and develop them into top-class players – the transfer policy does work, in time.”

Best player so far this season?

It could be argued that during the early stages of the new season, O’Riley has been Celtic’s best player because his form has been out of this world.

Liam Scales, who wasn’t expected to start the new season until injuries hit, is another who can put his name into that hat because he has stepped in like a seasoned pro.

Captain Fantastic, Callum McGregor, is also up to his old tricks and proving why he is one of the best in the country and someone who can still lead the charge from the middle of the park for many, many more years yet.