Matt O’Riley’s Celtic departure in the summer felt a little inevitable in the end, but Brendan Rodgers’ men appear to have adequately compensated for his exit after a stunning start to the campaign.
The Denmark international was a fan favourite at Parkhead, registering 27 goals and 35 assists in 124 appearances for the Bhoys.
Arriving for £1.5 million in 2022, O’Riley left Celtic for Brighton in a record £30 million deal inclusive of add-ons, surpassing Jota and Kieran Tierney due to his excellent impact in Glasgow over a two-and-a-half-year stint.
Despite making his debut on the South Coast against Crawley Town, his first appearance under Fabian Hurzeler came to a premature end after the London-born playmaker was withdrawn following a strong challenge from Jay Williams.
Recovering in style, O’Riley scored the winner against Manchester City last weekend for his new club, evoking memories of his time at Celtic with a trademark ice-cool finish.
Now, the former Hoops hero has opened up on how negotiations unfolded that led him to make the move to the American Express Stadium.
Matt O’Riley sheds light on his Celtic departure
Speaking on the official Brighton & Hove Albion podcast, O’Riley revealed the ‘culture’ at Brighton sold him on a move to the Premier League, with ‘money factors’ becoming a complication amid interest in his services from Atalanta during the summer.
He explained: “If I’m being honest, at the end, it was probably between Brighton and Atalanta. I spoke with both, and I did get a good feeling from Atalanta as well.
“Obviously, there were money factors at the end between clubs, which was probably the main reason stuff wasn’t happening.
“But in terms of the culture here and the conversations I had on the phone, I just trusted that it would be a good fit for me, and it’s kind of proving to be already just from my feel around the place.”
Celtic have managed to replace Matt O’Riley’s influence
Through a combination of Brendan Rodgers’ current stock stepping up and new arrivals having the desired impact, Celtic have been able to negate a loss of creativity in midfield despite O’Riley’s exit.
Of course, selling the Dane led to the Bhoys’ record £11 million spend on Arne Engels, who already has three goals and six assists in his first 14 appearances for the club.
On the same token, Paulo Bernardo and Luke McCowan also deserve credit for their ability to hold the fort in the engine room.
Regardless of O’Riley’s immense talent, Celtic are in an ideal position to kick on after the international break, which is a testement to everyone connected with the Bhoys.
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