Exclusive: Tottenham, West Ham, Brighton and Brentford enter race for star Celtic midfielder
Celtic star Matt O’Riley is attracting major interest from Premier League sides including Tottenham, West Ham, Brighton and Brentford but it will take a club record fee to convince the Hoops to part ways with the midfielder, TEAMtalk understands.
Celtic have seen several of their stars leave over the past few seasons with the most recent exit seeing winger Jota move to Saudi Arabia in a deal worth £25million. It is likely the club will face bids for yet more key men in the coming months.
Matt O’Riley has been in sensational form this season and the midfielder is of interest to multiple Premier League clubs. The Hoops have made their position clear and have set a steep asking price with nothing below a record fee set to be accepted.
The sale of Jota represents the current record with the final fee coming to £25.3million, eclipsing the previous record held by Arsenal full back Kieran Tierney, who went for £23million in the summer of 2019.
The Glasgow club are expecting to reach the £30million mark for O’Riley, who has been watched by a plethora of clubs over the past few months. His performances thus far in the Champions League have brought more attention his way and January bids are expected.
Sources state that Brentford boss Thomas Frank is a huge admirer of the 22-year-old and would be keen to add him to his squad. The price point is likely to hamper the Bees in the race for the Denmark international, but scouts have been present at multiple Celtic games this season.
Brighton are also in the chasing pack; their recruitment team have been keen to add numbers in the middle of the park and O’Riley is on the list of potential incomings. He is seen as a player who will continue to improve and matches the Seagulls’ policy of buy low and sell high.
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Tottenham and West Ham enter race for O’Riley
Sources have told TEAMtalk that there is major interest from London clubs with West Ham and Tottenham both keeping tabs on his progression. Spurs are currently managed by former Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou and a potential reunion could be on the cards.
Defensive cover and a striker are key positions for the Premier League leaders to fill, and a move for Postecoglou’s former player would be more likely to happen in the summer of 2024 rather than in the upcoming January window.
O’Riley signed a new contract in September, running until May 2027. It does not include a release clause and that gives the Scottish champions the upper hand in negotiations. The midfielder has played every game for Celtic this season and has scored six goals so far.
O’Riley is not the only midfielder Spurs are keeping an eye on. Inter Milan’s Hakan Calhanoglu is on Tottenham’s radar and they could make a move for the Turkey international next summer. It would cost the Lilywhites around £43.7m to land Calhanoglu and a move may also hinge on offloading Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg to make room for more midfield additions.
Like O’Riley, Calhanoglu is under contract until 2027 and as a result Inter are in a strong position to hold out for their valuation of the midfielder.
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