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Report- Matt O’Riley happy to stay at Celtic despite transfer speculation

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12 months ago

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Report- Matt O’Riley happy to stay at Celtic despite transfer speculation

Matt O’Riley of Celtic poses for a photo with the PlayStation Player Of The Match award after the draw in the UEFA Champions League match between Celtic FC and Atletico Madrid at Celtic Park Stadium on October 25, 2023 in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Jan Kruger – UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images)

Matt O’Riley wanting to stay is the perfect Christmas present for the entire Celtic support…

Matt O’Riley of Celtic controls the ball during the Celtic vs St Mirren Cinch Premiership match at Celtic Park on May 20, 2023 (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

There’s been speculation that a few clubs have been targeting a move for Matt O’Riley in the January transfer window, something that is hardly surprising since he’s been our stand out performer so far this campaign. But according  a report this morning he is loving life at Celtic and is keen to stay for the foreseeable future.

The source of this insight into the Celtic midfielder’s intentions is Daily Record , so it may be taken with a pinch of salt by some supporters, and maybe we should exercise some caution before we start to build our hopes up too high.

However the journalist in question is Scott Burns and he is right more times than not when it comes to ‘exclusives’ at Celtic. Maybe his contacts in Celtic have filtered down the news to keep us supporters from getting restless? Who knows, but we can only hope he’s right.

Matt O’Riley of Celtic celebrates scoring his team’s opening goal during the Cinch Scottish Premiership match between Hearts and Celtic FC at Tynecastle on October 22, 2023 (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

Matt saying he wants to stay put would be the perfect Xmas present for us Celtic supporters. He’s been instrumental for us this campaign and is undoubtedly our stand out performer. Indeed he is head and shoulders above the rest of the players in the Scottish Premiership this season and if he keeps his outstanding form going he’ll be a short odds favourite for the various Player of of the Year Awards, although it might end up going to James Tavernier for taking scores of penalties in the one campaign, creating a new world record.

Matt O’Riley and Lazio’s Albanian defender #23 Elseid Hisaj vie for the ball during the UEFA Champions League group E football match between Celtic and Lazio at Celtic Park on October 4, 2023. (Photo by ANDY BUCHANAN/AFP via Getty Images)

Keeping Matt O’Riley at the club is vital in our aim to defend our league title and of course the Scottish Cup too. And if he’s happy to stay beyond the summer then that is an huge bonus for Celtic especially if we’re in the new look Champions League next season.  Let’s hope there is more to this report than just speculation.

Just an Ordinary Bhoy

It’s from the Record so we shouldn’t read too much into it, but huge if true. pic.twitter.com/z16xCxQfjD

— JustAnOrdinaryBhoy (@ordinarybhoy) December 26, 2023

 

 

Celtic squad trim begins as Bhoys accept transfer offer

Brendan Rodgers and Celtic are expected to trim several fringe players from the Bhoys squad in the upcoming transfer window.

The Bhoys boss has admitted his playing group is too large and that he wants to reduce overall first-team numbers to around 25 across January and next summer.

Work is already underway and, in fact, the first confirmed exit could come quickly.

The Daily Record reports that Celtic have agreed on a £870,000 fee with Vissel Kobe in Japan to sell midfielder Yosuke Ideguchi, calling time on his ill-fated move to the Bhoys.

Ideguchi arrived in the same transfer window as Reo Hatate and Daizen Maeda during the Ange Postecoglou reign but struggled to make the same impact as his compatriots.

The midfielder picked up an unfortunate injury in a Scottish Cup shortly after joining the Hoops and went on to make just six appearances in total.

He joined Avispa Fukuoka on loan for the 2023 J-League season and impressed in his 32 appearances, even earning a Player of the Year nomination.

MORE CELTIC STORIES

Now it appears that Vissel Kobe have won the race for his signature and will allow Celtic to recoup the fee paid for him in the first place.

The J-League transfer window officially opens in mid-January ahead of their 2024 campaign so expect to hear official confirmation of his permanent transfer over the next couple of weeks.

There are plenty of other big contenders to leave the Bhoys next month too as Rodgers looks to shift players who aren’t currently contributing significantly.

Hopefully, it frees up space to bring in the ‘quality’ that the Celtic manager desires.

Aston Villa want title-winning £26m midfielder who ‘glides about the pitch’

Aston Villa have reportedly set their sights on Celtic’s Matt O’Riley ahead of the January transfer window.

The Villans are flying high in the Premier League and in Europe, and could well look to bolster their ranks further in January to maintain their momentum.

According to Sky Sports, Villa are one of several teams that have been watching O’Riley with a view to a potential approach.

As well as the Villans, the likes of West Ham, PSV Eindhoven, Atletico Madrid and Inter Milan are reportedly eyeing the midfielder.

The Sky Sports report claims Inter are prepared to offer an initial loan until the end of the season with an obligation to buy him in the summer.

In terms of price tag, Fabrizio Romano previously claimed that any team wishing to sign O’Riley would have to break the Scottish transfer record.

This currently stands at £25million, the fee Celtic received when they sold Portuguese winger Jota to Saudi Arabia’s Al-Ittihad in the summer.

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Aston Villa one of multiple teams in pursuit of Matt O’Riley

Villa have struck gold multiple times in the transfer market this year, and O’Riley would be another outstanding addition to the claret-and-blue ranks.

The 23-year-old is on nine goals and eight assists for the season so far, an especially great tally when you consider he’s a central midfielder.

Furthermore, three of his assists have come in the Champions League, showing how apt he is at the highest level.

In October, Sky Sports pundit Kris Boyd backed O’Riley to be “one of the next ones to go in terms of big money” from the Scottish top flight.

Boyd said on Sky Sports: “You could sit and watch Matt O’Riley play football all day. He’s a top-class player.

“He glides about the pitch and Brendan Rodgers has obviously asked him to get forward more this season. He is reaping the benefits of that.”

Villa – or any other suitors – would likely be looking at £26million and over for O’Riley.

It’s a fairly hefty price tag, but considering Declan Rice went for over £100million, it goes to show that an elite midfielder is worth his weight in gold. And O’Riley has the makings of one.

At the same time, the reigning Scottish champions only have a two-point lead at the top over second-placed Rangers, who have a game in hand. They may refuse to sell O’Riley until the summer at least.

Brendan Rodgers tried to sign £35m PL player during first spell at Celtic

News that Celtic could be interested in Wolves striker, Fabio Silva hit the headlines just prior to this weekend.

TBR Celtic told how the £35m striker is of interest to Brendan Rodgers on Thursday and it seems that this isn’t the only time the Hoops gaffer tried to land him in Paradise.

Former Celtic striker, Andy Walker, was speaking about Fabio Silva and he revealed that his old club tried to sign the Portuguese striker back in Rodgers’ first stint as Hoops boss.

Walker said [The Go Radio Football Show], “He was on Celtic’s radar a number of years ago. I remember doing a game down south when he was playing for Wolves and they were all talking about the interest from Celtic.

“I mean he’s got skill, he’s got ability, he’s played at a good level and that was during Brendan Rodgers’ first spell in charge when he was here with Chris Davies.

“But he’s certainly been on their radar before.”

Now, you might ask what’s the point of that? It was five years ago. Well now that Rodgers has been banging on about adding quality and questions have been raised about whether or not he is in charge of Celtic’s recruitment, at least now the club are linked with a player that Rodgers clearly likes.

Fabio Silva Celtic striker?

Could the young 21-year-old forward really do a job for Celtic? The Portugal u21 international has made 159 career appearances at both youth and senior level.

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In that time he has scored just 32 goals and created 18 assists. However his goalscoring rate at U21 International is very impressive.

Ten in 19 appearances for his country, which includes a hattrick against Liechtenstein in July 2022, is not to be sniffed at so clearly, the young man does have an eye for goal. [Transfermarkt]

Obviously, if any deal were to be brokered between Wolves and Celtic it would be with a view to loan. With the EPL club shelling out £35m for the striker, despite being cash-rich, Celtic are in no place to get anywhere near that figure to bring him to Paradise permanently.

 

Transfer Latest – Celtic eye Ipswich’s Czechia keeper Vaclav Hladky

Celtic have been linked with former St Mirren goalkeeper Vaclav Hladky as the shot-stopper nears the end of his contract. The Czech Republic star is currently at high-flying Ipswich Town in the English Championship and Kieran McKenna is eager to get the ex-Buddies man tied down on fresh terms as they bid to get promotion to the Premier League.

Vaclav Hladky

It’s no secret that the Bhoys will need a new netminder soon as Joe Hart enters the final months of his contract and will be 37 in any case. Joe has been a great servant to the club but I think we can all agree the time has come for him to step down from the number one position at the club and give a younger, fresher body a chance at the role. With Benjamin Seigrist and Scott Bain on the books, Brendan Rodgers will need to move someone on before he signs a new ‘keeper.

The club have been linked with various shot-stoppers as they try and succession plan for Joe’s potential retirement or if he decides to just move on from Celtic Park and remain in the game somewhere else. Andriy Lunin of Real Madrid has been strongly linked with a move to the Scottish Premiership Champions and there have been links to Kilmarnock loan star, Will Dennis too, although Rodgers has admitted he doesn’t see it as a priority this coming transfer window.

Czech media publication iSPORT have reported that the Hoops have reignited interest in his services and say the sources are from Scotland too. The 33-year-old will be free to speak to potential suitors next month and whilst Celtic do retain an interest, the goalkeeper may view it as his last shot at the big time of the English Premier League and the wages that could be on offer there. However, nothing is set in stone and Ipswich still need to get there so this could also play on his mind. If Celtic win the Scottish League this year it’s direct entry into the UEFA Champions League group stages which is also a very attractive proposition.

 

 

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Glasgow Derby Injury Concern for Celtic

Celtic emerged victorious with a 2-0 win over Livingston, a welcome relief following back-to-back defeats.

However, the triumph came with a tinge of concern as right-back Alistair Johnston appeared to suffer an injury towards the end of the match.

He looked to have pulled up injured, making him a concern for the Glasgow Derby next week.

The game saw Kyogo breaking his goal drought. Kyogo found the net, marking an end to his recent period without goals. This strike set the tone for Celtic’s dominance in the match.

Liam Scales doubled Celtic’s lead by heading in a corner from Palma.

Impressively, Palma also played a crucial role in setting up Kyogo’s goal, showcasing his ability to orchestrate key plays.

The Green Brigade returned to the stands for the win. The group made their presence felt for the first time in 13 games after being absent due to a ban.

Hopefully Brendan Rodgers can provide a positive update on the right back.

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There’s a lot of frustration”-journalist react to “strange” involving Celtic star

Kyogo Furuhashi now in ‘strange situation’ at Celtic

Celtic forward Kyogo Furuhashi looks to have been asked to play a different role under Brendan Rodgers at Parkhead.

HIGHLIGHTS

 Celtic forward Kyogo Furuhashi’s goalscoring form under Brendan Rodgers has been “a bit strange” at Parkhead.

 The Japan international has been asked to play a different role, drifting wide and dropping back, affecting his goalscoring form for the Hoops.

 Celtic could look to trim their squad during the 2024 winter transfer window, with Nat Phillips and Alexandro Bernabei preparing for exits.

Celtic star Kyogo Furuhashi’s lack of goalscoring form under Brendan Rodgers has is “a bit strange” and has caused “a lot of frustration”, as journalist Dean Jones considers his performances as a whole at Parkhead.

The Hoops have enjoyed a positive start to the 2023/24 Scottish Premiership season, but a recent wobble in results will have created a sense of unease around Celtic Park.

Furuhashi has been operating across the front three for Rodgers’ outfit but hasn’t been utilised as the out-and-out striker he has been used to over the past two seasons. Celtic hope to recover from their early European exit and storm to a Premiership and Scottish Cup double.

Kyogo Furuhashi’s career at Celtic

In the summer of 2021, Celtic signed Furuhashi in a deal worth £4.6m from Vissel Kobe, as then-head coach Ange Postecoglou looked to develop a side capable of challenging for the Scottish Premiership title.

The Hoops had been beaten to the post by Rangers at a canter during the 2020/21 campaign and needed a rebuild to topple their Glasgow neighbours.

The Japan international would score 12 Premiership goals in 20 appearances during his first season at Celtic, helping them win the league title alongside a Viaplay Cup triumph.

Having had issues with his fitness during his debut campaign at Parkhead, Furuhashi would find full fitness in his second, hitting the back of the net 27 times in 36 top-flight outings.

The 28-year-old’s goal contribution led to Postecoglou’s side securing a domestic treble during the 2022/23 campaign before the respected head coach departed south of the border to take the vacant job at Tottenham Hotspur.

During the 2023/24 campaign, Furuhashi has struggled to reach the same levels in front of goal. Before Celtic’s trip to Livingston on 23rd December, the centre-forward had scored eight goals and registered three assists in 25 outings for the Bhoys.

However, Furuhashi has been asked to drift into wide areas and drop back to retrieve the ball under Rodgers, operating differently from how he played under Postecoglou.

In November, Jones told GIVEMESPORT that Celtic would not be concerned by exit rumours surrounding Furuhashi after it emerged that Tottenham had sent their top scout to check on players at Postecoglou’s former club.

Kyogo Furuhashi – Celtic stats (23-12-23)

Appearances

109

Goals

62

Assists

13

Yellow cards

8

Stats according to Transfermarkt

Dean Jones on Kyogo Furuhashi

Jones has suggested that Furuhashi can play a different role under Rodgers but that his goalscoring form will suffer. The journalist claims “a lot of frustration” surrounds the change. Asked about Furuhashi’s form, Jones told GIVEMESPORT:

“It is a bit strange. There’s a lot of frustration around this because you’d wonder why it hasn’t happened for him so far. But I feel like he’s being asked to play differently now. While he does seem capable in football in terms of being decent in the wide areas that he appears to be being forced into a bit more, it’s starting to reflect badly on his stats. That’s the first thing people will point out when looking for somebody to blame.

“I think he is a clever player and can play in the way he’s being asked, even though it might not be natural to him. But when you’re used to scoring or seeing someone score goals, it’s tough to accept a role change in which they’re not doing that as often.”

Celtic transfer news on Nat Phillps and Alexandro Bernabei’s future

 

With the 2024 winter transfer window approaching, Rodgers must consider the future of some of his squad members, who may feel they aren’t getting the opportunities required to stick around at Parkhead.

According to Football Scotland, centre-back Nat Phillips will return to Liverpool following his loan at Celtic next month.

The 26-year-old joined the Glasgow giants on a short-term deal at the end of August but has looked out of sorts, having built up his match fitness.

Phillips, now a fringe player at Celtic Park, won’t see his loan extended further, and another move away from Anfield could be on the cards in January.

Meanwhile, The Sun reports that Alexandro Bernabei is poised to make a winter exit from Celtic in 2024.

The 24-year-old has failed to establish himself under Rodgers and has attracted interest from Italian clubs and outfits from his homeland in Argentina.

The Hoops are keen on signing Estoril’s Tiago Araujo, valued at £4m, to offer competition to Greg Taylor, with Bernabei likely to be the victim in his arrival.

Meanwhile, Football Scotland claims that Celtic have enquired with Austrian outfit Sturm Graz about the possibility of signing former target Szymon Wlodarczyk. However, his value has sky-rocketed to £15m, making a deal financially unviable for the one-time European Cup winners.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Harry Whittingham(1846 Articles Published)

Harry is a football writer with multiple years of experience in the field, having worked as an intern at Port Vale Football Club whilst graduating with a BA Hons degree in Sports Journalism from Staffordshire University in 2021, before coming through the ranks at the O&O Academy at Snack Media.

Having worked as a freelance writer on This is Futbol from July-November 2022, he now works as a freelance writer for the Exclusives team at GIVEMESPORT, mainly covering Premier League football as well as Celtic and Rangers.

Harry has interviewed a range of footballer’s during his career, including ex-Premier League and Republic of Ireland winger Stephen Hunt and Port Vale legend Tom Pope.

Football dominates Harry’s life and when he’s not writing about the sport, he is often found following his beloved Wolverhampton Wanderers home and away, whilst also being an ardent follower of the Pittsburgh Steelers.

CELTIC’S £1m MYSTERY MAN

MYSTIFIED Celtic fans are still awaiting their first glimpse of South Korean midfielder Kwon Hyeon-kyu in competitive action.

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The anchorman arrived in a £1million move – an initial £850,000 plus add-ons – from K-League outfit Busan IPark in July along with winger Yang Hyun-jun.

Under-21 international Kwon, with the reputation of a determined ball-winner in the middle of the park, played for 45 minutes in James Forrest’s Testimonial Match against Athletic Bilbao at Parkhead at the start of August on an evening Brendan Rodgers utilised 22 players of his first-team squad.

NOW YOU SEE ME…new Bhoy Kwon Hyeon-kyu proudly holds his Celtic jersey on July 25, the day after his arrival.

The 22-year-old enforcer also came on for Matt O’Riley in the 61st minute of the 1-1 draw with Wolves at Dublin’s Aviva Stadium a few days earlier.

Apart from that, there has been no sign of the Hoops’ mystery man although he was named in last weekend’s matchday squad for the home match against Hearts. That was only the fourth time time he has been stripped for action, but has yet to play a solitary minute for the Hoops.

Rodgers also ommitted Kwon from his 25-man squad that was registered with UEFA before the Champions League Group B meetings with Atletico Madrid, Lazio and Feyenoord.

It has become a bewildering situation without any likelihood of the midfielder, who signed a five-year contract in summer, edging closer to a first-team breakthrough.

Possibly next month’s transfer window will provide a solution.

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