CELTIC must slap a ‘hands off’ notice on Matt O’Riley – unless prospective buyers are prepared to offer sensible money.
Brendan Rodgers does not need outside influences interfering in his preparations for what could be a momentous season for the club at home and abroad.
No-one at Parkhead has time to waste rejecting derisory, insignificant offers for the 23-year-old midfielder who won multiple Celtic Player of the Year honours following 19 goals and 18 assists in 49 appearances in the previous campaign.
Anyone with half an idea what this game is all about should be able to take one glance at O’Riley and be able to identify his pedigree and quality.
BACK IN THE GOAL ROUTINE…Matt O’Riley is congratulated by Tomoki Iwata after the first of his double strike in the 4-0 win over DC United in Washington.
That is why clubs such as Atalanta should be told to get lost if they really believe the champions will even contemplate a nonsensical bid of under £16million for one their prized assets. That’s the absurd figure quoted by an Italian media source over the weekend.
Ludicrous doesn’t even come close to describing that submission. To put that in perspective, it’s £4million short of what Southampton were reportedly poised to tender for the playmaker, well known to the south-coast club’s manager Russell Martin after they worked together at third-tier MK Dons.
Preposterously, that is HALF the fee Ange Postecoglou paid to Leeds United for Archie Gray last month. I am reliably informed the versatile English-born midfielder has a wonderful future and, at 18, he will undoubtedly get his opportunity under the former Hoops boss at Spurs.
But how can he be worth £40million when O’Riley, who has already played at full international level at Denmark, be rated as £16million by the current Europa League holders and £20million by a newly-promoted English team?
We are informed financial supplements are likely to be added to these sums. Well, whoop-de-doo, folks. Let’s crack open the champagne and celebrate like there is no tomorrow.
Someone should inform these clubs that the universe gatecrashed a new century some considerable time ago.
THAT’S MY BHOY…Brendan Rodgers embraces Matt O’Riley.
Irritatingly, performers who ply their trade in this country appear to drop down a notch or two when it comes to others evaluating their qualities.
While teenager Gray, a Celtic fan, by the way, was playing in his club’s failed bid to escape the English second tier last season, O’Riley, whose omission from the squad of his adopted nation for their ill-fated Euro 24 tilt must have gone a long way to the removal of dithering head coach Kasper Hjulmand, was strutting his stuff among Europe’s elite in the Champions League.
The elegant middle-of-the-park operator even attracted the attention of Diego Simeone, that master of the dark arts. Atletico Madrid sought to take the London-born ball artiste to the Spanish capital on loan until the end of the season before guaranteeing an offer around the £20million mark.
Unsurprisingly, the Hoops hierarchy didn’t swither over the offer and booted it into touch leaving Rodgers and O’Riley free to concentrate on the twin targets of the Premiership and the Scottish Cup.
Without the shackles of scuttlebutt, teetle-tattle and guff from ‘in-the-know’ pests, Celtic, of course, were successful in their dual silverware quests.
Arne Slot, Jurgen Klopp’s successor at Liverpool, was in charge of Feyenoord when they played the Hoops in Europe’s creme de la creme competition last term.
It’s no surprise to detect whispers emanating from Merseyside that the Dutchman is an admirer of O’Riley.
If this turns out to be the case and Slot is serious about attempting to prise the fans’ favourite from the grip of the champions we have to hope he is not putting together a piffling amount for a player who signed a four-year extension at the club in September.
There is absolutely zilch Celtic can do to shut down the rumour factory, but the world and its auntie should be told where the bidding has to start before they might be willing to come to the negotiating table.
A submission of something in the region of £30million could get talks started.
Otherwise, no time-wasters, please.
ALEX GORDON
PAYING THE PRICE OF ARROGANCE AND IGNORANCE