Big Sunday Night Serie A Move Has Celtic Matt O’Riley Implications

It looks like one of the biggest threats to Celtic losing Matt O’Riley this transfer window has faded away. Atalanta, who had been relentlessly pursuing the Danish midfielder, have officially announced the signing of Lazar Samardzic from Udinese.

The Italian side have secured Samardzic on loan with an option to buy, which could become mandatory under certain conditions. According to reports from Sky Sport Italia, the deal will cost Atalanta around €25 million, including bonuses and the loan fee.

This move signals that Atalanta have likely given up on their chase for O’Riley after Celtic turned down several bids. [Sky Sports]

With Samardzic now locked in as their midfield reinforcement, surely they are done knocking at Celtic’s door. This will come as a relief to Celtic fans, who were concerned about losing one of their key players before the window closes.

There are still two weeks left in the transfer window, and anything can happen. While this development is encouraging, we can take nothing for granted.

Ideally, Celtic would reach a point where, if they couldn’t secure a suitable replacement for O’Riley, they would shut up shop well before deadline day. This would ensure that the club remains strong going into the new season without the risk of a last-minute departure disrupting their plans.