MATT O’RILEY has slapped a BAN on all talk of a transfer from Celtic – including his parents!
The Parkhead pin-up playmaker revealed he is not interested in listening to speculation as he concentrates completely on the league and Cup run-in.
The London-born Danish international midfielder was linked with Spanish giants Atletico Madrid during the January window, but a deal never came close to getting off the ground.
The Spanish cracks were looking to take the 23-year-old Hoops ace on loan for the remainder of the season with the obligation of an £18million payment in the summer.
The champions’ hierarchy were not interested on both counts. There was no way they were going to allow their star performer to move on a temporary switch and the figure the La Liga outfit had in mind was way short of their own evaluation.
THE FINAL SAY…Matt O’Riley celebrates sinking his penalty-kick in the shoot-out against Aberdeen to book a place in the showpiece showdown on May 25.
O’Riley cost a bargain £1.5million from English third-tier MK Dons in January 2022, but is now rated in the £25million bracket by the club.
The stylish middle-of-the-park operator is under contract until the summer of 2027, but Brendan Rodgers can brace himself for some massive interest in the former Fulham prospect when the campaign reaches a conclusion.
However, with the holders three points ahead with four league games to play and a Scottish Cup Final to look forward to on May 25, the consistent ace, by far Celtic’s most consistently influential player this season, has remained grounded and focused.
Quizzed if he had put a hold on all suggestions of a move, O’Riley answered: “Yeah, I have to be fair.
“I have said that to my parents, of course agents and even people within the club. People naturally want to talk about stuff like that, but I think it is a big distraction when I have got a job to do here.”It was mainly just a case of where my attention was, to be honest. When the noise is there, if your attention is on that then naturally when you are on the pitch it is going to be in the back of your head.
“I addressed that, spoke to one of the coaches I work with outside of football and we really just focused on coming back to basics and it helped a lot.”
ON THE BALL…Matt O’Riley in control during the 2-1 victory over Dundee at Dens Park on Sunday.
O’Riley, who has contributed 14 goals and 11 assists this term, is concentrating soley on the Premiership visit of Hearts to Parkhead on Saturday, 24 hours ahead of Philippe Clement’s side match against Kilmarnock at Ibrox.
The gifted ace, speaking to
Sky Sports, continued: “It’s about not getting ahead of ourselves. I’m sure people are already thinking about Rangers in two weeks’ time, but that should be the last thing on our minds right now.
“We should be thinking about tomorrow and then the next day then the next day.”
O’Riley reckons boss Rodgers is thriving on the tension of a dramatic countdown to the crusade and added: “You can tell he enjoys it. We get that feeling, too. Everyone enjoys it. Everyone should enjoy it.
“It’s fun when it’s close. I know from a fans’ perspective and I’d like it to be easy and 12 points clear.
“But when it’s close it brings out that extra fire in everyone and drive, so I think it’s really enjoyable.”
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