Sky Sports are reporting that Inter Milan are leading the race to sign Matt O’Riley when the January transfer window opens.
West Ham and Aston Villa are also credited with an interest by Sky are reporting that Inter lead the race with an offer to take the midfielder on loan with a commitment to buy at the end of the season.
Those type of deals have been forced on clubs due to Financial Sustainability rules with Inter unable to stay within the rules and spend big in January.
O’riley joined Celtic in January 2022 from MK Dons and has taken the leap from League One to the Champions League in his stride.
In September he signed a new revived Celtic contract that ties him to the club until 2027 but those sort of deals simply ensure that the selling club gets maximum value for their asset.
With Reo Hatate out injured Brendan Rodgers has been heavily reliant on O’Riley and Callum McGregor, losing the Danish cap in mid-season would be a massive blow to Celtic’s title hopes.
Already some fascinating transfers around Europe ahead of January.
Van De Beek to Frankfurt, Elmas signed as Forsberg’s replacement at Leipzig and Inter Milan chasing Matt O’Riley…
Given the latter is only a loan move with an obligation, I can’t see Celtic accepting!
— Dougie Critchley (@DougieCritchley) December 22, 2023
Sky Sports News reports:
Inter Milan are considering a January move for Celtic midfielder Matt O’Riley.
The Serie A club are prepared to offer an initial loan until the end of the season with an obligation to buy him in the summer.
Inter are among an increasing number of top clubs sending scouts to watch O’Riley, amid an increase in his performance level again this season.
Aston Villa and West Ham have been watching him recently, as well as PSV Eindhoven and Atletico Madrid, and all of these clubs have been present for his Champions League appearances, in which he made three assists.
Inter are discussing whether to steal a march on potential rivals by making a move when the January transfer window begins, but it would take a record fee for Celtic to agree to any deal.
Their current record sale is around £25m for Jota from Saudi Arabian side Al Ittihad last summer, which trumped the £23m they earned from Arsenal for Kieran Tierney in 2019.
Money talks however as Celtic proved in the summer when Jota was sold to Al Ittihad for £25m with no real quality replacements in the pipeline.
It would take a similar fee for Celtic to do business on O’Riley but a mid-season deal, especially initially on loan, would be a bad signal to send out with this season’s SPFL title earning the winners the biggest ever Champions League pay day.
Inter being interested in Matt O’Riley isn’t a surprise. Good player. Should be playing for England but Southgate dropped the ball on that one!!!!!!!!@muller_cpfc
— Dantheman #TeamUndefeated #GamersRUs #MUFC (@dantheman119) December 22, 2023
