Report: In-demand Celtic star scouted by fresh admirers

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Celtic star Matt O’Riley continues to be the subject of interest from English Premier League sides, according to a report.

Several top European sides ran the rule over the Denmark U-23 midfielder in the summer transfer window if reports are to be believed, with O’Riley’s form since his move to Paradise from MK Dons catching the eye far and wide.

Here at 67 Hail Hail, we debunked Leicester City’s alleged interest in O’Riley, with sources revealing that ex Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers was not looking to make a move for the midfielder in the short-term.

However, The Scottish Sun report that Crystal Palace director of football Dougie Freedman apparently scouted the 21-year-old in midweek in the Red Bull Arena.

Newcastle, amongst others, were named as potential suitors for O’Riley last month towards the close of the transfer window but no concrete interest materialised.

Regardless, the 21-year-old rebuked the suggested interest when asked and by all accounts is perfectly content at Paradise, as things stand.

Champions League involvement makes interest inevitable for Celtic’s brightest stars

Whilst no football fan will ever welcome interest in their better players from more resource-heavy leagues, this is simply an inevitability of modern football for big clubs like Celtic in European football’s lesser leagues.

Involvement in the Champions League brings these players under even closer scrutiny, with teams able to see how they perform against Europe’s elite, and making interest all the more likely.

However, there’s little basis for concern when it comes to O’Riley, who has shown no signs of any desire to manufacture a move from Paradise, and having made the breakthrough into his national side’s U-23 team, there’s little incentive for him to, at least in the short-term.

O’Riley is under contract until 2026 and even in the unlikely scenario that Celtic were open to bids for him, would cost a premium to sign.

Though the game in the Red Bull Arena wasn’t his finest in a Celtic shirt, it’s a case of simply keeping his head down and playing as he has for the majority his first nine months in Paradise for O’Riley.

In other news: Leipzig stutter, Madrid roll on; Celtic’s UCL rivals round-up