AT WHAT stage will Celtic tell Atalanta to “va al diavolo”?
I’m reliably informed that is Italian for “get lost”.
Reports from Italy – via Sky Sports – inform us the Europa League winners are preparing a FIFTH bid for Matt O’Riley.
Apparently, they are now poised to improve on their previous offer of £20million following their initial £14million proposal.
The Serie A outfit are an unnecessary irrelevance at a time when Brendan Rodgers has just 18 days left before the August 30 transfer deadline.
IN CONTROL…Matt O’Riley wins a challenge in Celtic’s 2-0 win at Easter Road.
No doubt Atalanta would have been enlightened to the figure that may get the Scottish champions around the negotiating table. Something in the region of £25million would seem to be a reasonable starting point for discussions.
The Italians seem to be impervious to advice and stubbornly and relentlessly come back with offers that are short of anything acceptable to Celtic. They are wasting everyone’s time and that is a commodity no-one has in abundance with the window due to close before you know it.
Rodgers and the Hoops hierarchy have consistently stated the club are under no pressure to sell their pivotal midfielder who has three years to run on his contract.
The Serie A club are simply nuisance value at a stage when the champions require concentration in putting their own squad jigsaw together for the first half of another crucial campaign.
Premier sides Brighton, Southampton and Leicester City, Atalanta’s league rivals Juventus and Inter Milan plus Spanish giants Atletico Madrid have all been credited with an interest in the 23-year-old Denmark international’s future.
To the player’s eternal credit, he has simply got his head down and played his part in the champions’ engine room as he emphasised again in the 2-0 win over Hibs at Easter Road yesterday.
YELLOW PEARL…Matt O’Riley lines up a shot against Hibs that flew just inches wide.
Being dragged into O’Riley speculation after the victory in Edinburgh, Rodgers said replacing the playmaker would be no easy task.
The Irishman, speaking to the Daily Record, said: “I don’t think we can replace like-for-like. He’s had three years growing to get to where he is now.
“If he did leave, to get someone like that straight away would be very difficult. If he did go, it would be for big money and obviously we won’t be spending that straight on one player.
“I’m not overthinking it. He’s a gifted player I love working with. He really enjoys his time here at Celtic and we’ll just see, day by day.
“But while he’s here, the concentration is on improving his game and improving him. His attitude is first class and he knows I trust him 100 per cent.”
Maybe, just maybe, some of this will manage to seep through to the men who hold the purse strings at Atalanta.
ALEX GORDON
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