‘Excellent news’: John Hartson reacts to what he is hearing about Celtic’s Matt O’Riley & Reo Hatate

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John Hartson says it’s ‘excellent news’ that Matt O’Riley and Reo Hatate could be about to sign new contracts at Celtic.

Celtic have been pretty good in extending the contracts of key players, including star goalscorer, Kyogo Furuhashi.

And it seems as though Matt O’Riley and Reo Hatate could be added to that list.

When Bhoys legend John Hartson was told about it, he labelled the duo as ‘very good players’ and how it is ‘very wise’ from Celtic, as he told Go Radio.

Starting with Matt O’Riley, during these early exchanges of the new season, it could be argued that he has been Brendan Rodgers’ best performer – contract talks are continuing.

Whilst Reo Hatate’s engine is starting to motor, including scoring against Livingston at the weekend, it’s been claimed that he too is ‘close to agreeing’ an extension.

Matt O’Riley and Reo Hatate contract extensions

“Excellent news,” said Hartson on those contract talks. “On Hatate and Matt O’Riley, you want to tie your best players down.

“In this day and age, you might get an offer. You might still get an offer even when they sign new contracts. 

“But you want to tie your best players down. You don’t want to let them go into a situation where they have got a year or a couple of years left, then their agents can go and talk to other clubs and then the players get carried away about where they can go next. Can they move on?

“Of course, if you have them tied down to new contracts, then it means that if there was a buying club, then they would have to pay more money for them because, in terms of their fee, they would have to buy their contracts out. Very wise from Celtic, besides that, they are two very good players.”

Maintain that value

Given the financial power of the Premier League and other leagues across Europe, then Celtic have no choice but to accept that key players will leave when they come knocking.

If everything was even, then it would be a different story, but whilst it’s great to hear that these players will extend their contracts, it also probably means that they will be off next summer.

Ange Postecoglou, now thriving at Tottenham, is one to look out for because it wouldn’t be a surprise if he comes knocking sooner rather than later.