Celtic playmaker Matt O’Riley is reportedly keen on reuniting with former manager Russell Martin at Southampton this summer.
The Denmark international has attracted significant interest, with clubs like Roma, Juventus, Chelsea, and Atletico Madrid all heavily linked. However, the only concrete offers so far have come from Italian side Atalanta, whose bids of around £15m fall short of Celtic’s asking price.
Southampton has also shown interest in the 23-year-old after he recorded 19 goals and 18 assists for Celtic in the 2023/24 season. BBC Radio Solent’s Adam Blackmore discussed the potential move, stating that St Mary’s Stadium would be O’Riley’s preferred destination.
“The [Fabio] Carvalho and O’Riley thing, I think Saints would like both and I think maybe Brighton are interested in O’Riley. “[But] I think O’Riley is happy to come to Saints and I think Celtic need to get on with it,” Blackmore explained.
Currently, Brendan Rodgers insists that O’Riley remains a key part of his plans. The 23-year-old played the full 90 minutes in a 4-0 win over Kilmarnock and continued his strong form from last season by providing an assist.
Celtic is reluctant to let their star player leave Parkhead and is reportedly seeking a fee of around £25m – £30m, which would be a club-record sale for the Glasgow giants, according to the Daily Record.
New Rangers Recruit Praised After European Debut
Former Rangers hero Derek Ferguson has praised new signing Jefte, who made his debut during a 1-1 draw with Dynamo Kyiv on Tuesday.
The £4m signing from Fluminense, who joined on a four-year deal in May, replaced Scott Wright after 46 minutes when Rangers were trailing and was lauded for his impact.
Ferguson said on Sportsound: “There was a lot of talk before the game about Jefte starting ahead of Scott Wright. He’s excellent, he’s got pace and strength, and I thought Yilmaz and Jefte would be a good partnership.”
Ibrox News has also commended the 20-year-old for his attacking abilities. The outlet suggests that he should be given his first start against Motherwell this weekend due to his creativity, as the Light Blues aim for their first Premiership win of the season.
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