Matt O’Riley backed to now stay at Celtic after new twist – expert
Celtic have been backed to keep in-demand Matt O’Riley during this transfer window.
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, former Hoops striker Frank McAvennie believes the midfielder will say “no” to leaving once the season commences on August 4th.
This comes after the Hoops knocked back another offer from Atalanta, with the Scottish giants deeming it way under their asking price.
It marked the third time Celtic have rejected an offer from the Europa League winners in this transfer window, with their £15million offer not being enough.
Celtic previously sold Jota to Al-Ittihad in 2023 and Kieran Tierney to Arsenal in 2019 for the same price.
Celtic have yet to receive an offer for Matt O’Riley close to their valuation
Football Insider revealed that Southampton are also ready to submit a formal bid for the midfielder.
With an expected £20million offer, the Premier League side are set to come in under Celtic’s valuation.
“I tell you what, once he starts the season, he’ll just say, ‘no,’” McAvennie predicted to Football Insider about O’Riley’s future.
“They’ve got to make a stand.
“Brendan’s got to sit down with Matt and say, ‘Would you want to do it? We can’t go right until the end of the window and then if you go, we’ve got nothing.’
“Brendan is too cute for that, Matt wouldn’t want to do that either, you don’t want to do that to the club, it’s made you basically.
“He was doing nothing where he was.
“They’re talking about Southampton and all that, but it’s just paper talk.
“Until someone puts an offer in, it’s just paper talk, it’s fish and chip paper as they call it up here.
“Until someone puts an offer in, they’ve not put an offer in that’s anywhere near close enough; it’s one of them.”
In other news, Celtic submitting new Adam Idah bid after bombshell.
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