Celtic midfielder Matt O’Riley’s future at Parkhead is the elephant in the room this summer for many supporters.
The Denmark international registered 19 goals and 18 assists last term in a stunning campaign that led him to sweep the table at Celtic’s Player of the Year awards in May.
Suspicions have long reigned that interest in his services would be vast in the window, and this notion has gathered weight over the past week.
Reports claim Southampton are readying a potential record-breaking bid for O’Riley that would take the form of £20 million plus add-ons, which could eclipse the fee £25 million Celtic received for Kieran Tierney in 2019 or Jota last summer.
Nevertheless, local outlets state that the London-born playmaker’s wage demands could prove to be a stumbling block.
Clearly, he isn’t prepared to leave on a whim and is prepared to hold out to see his value recognised, evidencing why the Bhoys should only entertain a potential departure if they are paid a premium.
Celtic should only entertain selling Matt O’Riley at a premium
Fundamentally, there are major divergences between the Scottish and English markets. South of the border, Premier League riches and relegation parachute payments in the Sky Bet Championship have created a different world comparing either transfer front.
For example, partially due to their need to satisfy Profit and Sustainability obligations, Newcastle United recently sold Elliot Anderson to Nottingham Forest for £35 million [BBC Sport].
To put this into context, the Whitley Bay-born man didn’t register a single Premier League goal last season and only started ten matches across all competitions, per Transfermarkt.
Now, this is no slight on Anderson. He is a talented individual with a bright career ahead in the game; nevertheless, has he done more than O’Riley to merit such a price tag?
Countless other examples over the years are also applicable; I could be here all day. Omari Hutchinson has just joined Ipswich Town permanently in a deal worth £22.5 million from Chelsea despite the Tractor Boys being exiled from the Premier League for 22 years before gaining promotion this year [talkSPORT].
Still, maybe that is more of a point geared at the financial disparity Scottish clubs experience compared to their near neighbours. Either way, it feeds into the wider topic and shows how highly English clubs value homegrown individuals with sell-on value, something our very own O’Riley embodies.
Premier League clubs can afford to splash out on talents from their own domestic game without hesitation, so why should Celtic relinquish O’Riley’s services for anything below a premium?
He has shone at Champions League level, delivering three assists in 12 appearances [Transfermarkt]. The former MK Dons man possesses international experience and a medal collection most footballers would be jealous of at just 23 years of age.
I’m not directly comparing O’Riley to either player, but when he is destined to reach great heights and has had the likes of Atletico Madrid, Inter Milan, Manchester United and Roma sniffing around, there is cause to raise the bar of his valuation and squeeze it to the limit.
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