Keith Wyness drops Celtic exit verdict after 'big bid rejected' for Matt O'Riley

Aberdeen’s former chief Keith Wyness has claimed Matt O'Riley and other Celtic stars will push for moves away in 2025 if the club don't show "big progress" this season.

Speaking on the new edition of Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast, the 66-year-old – who served as CEO at Aberdeen between 2000 and 2004, had lengthy spells as the chief of Everton and Aston Villa and now runs a football consultancy advising elite clubs – claimed the 2024-25 campaign will be "pretty crucial" to Brendan Rodgers keeping his squad together.

Football Insider revealed on Tuesday (14 May) that Celtic are expecting to receive summer bids for O’Riley after he won all three of their Player of the Year awards.

The Hoops turned down an offer from Atletico Madrid for the Denmark international in January and clubs across Europe are now monitoring his situation.

Reo Hatate, Kyogo Furuhashi and Cameron Carter-Vickers are among the other stars coveted by English and European sides.

Celtic to resist offers for key stars this summer, says Wyness

Wyness claimed his "gut feeling" is that Rodgers will look to keep his squad intact this summer.

He told Football Insider‘s Insider Track podcast: “From what I know, they did turn down a big bid for O’Riley last year.

“My gut feeling is that Rodgers will keep him and other stars around for one more season, and try and keep his squad together.

“They’ve had some good experience now. They’ve all won and lost in different areas.

“If they don’t succeed next season in making big progress, then it may be that O’Riley and a few others choose to move on.

“Next season is going to be pretty crucial to showing some steps forward under Rodgers.”

In other news, Celtic braced for midfielder bids after offer reveal.

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