Rejected: Celtic Kick Out Yet Another Matt O’Riley Bid

Celtic have today rejected a fifth offer from Atalanta for their star midfielder Matt O’Riley. The Serie A side, determined to bring the Danish talent to Italy, upped their bid to £21.5 million, plus significant add-ons. [Anthony Joseph]

However, this latest attempt has been swiftly turned down by the Parkhead hierarchy, who are standing firm in their valuation of the player.

Atalanta’s pursuit of O’Riley has been constant throughout the summer, with the Italian outfit gradually increasing their offers in a bid to prise the 23-year-old away from Celtic. But the Hoops, under the stewardship of Brendan Rodgers, have made it clear that they will not be letting their prized asset go for anything under what they value him.

O’Riley, who signed a long-term deal with Celtic just last year, is contracted to the club until 2027. This gives the Scottish champions a strong position in negotiations, and they have set their sights on a fee that would surpass the club’s record transfer sales. Celtic’s current record stands at £25 million, which they received for both Kieran Tierney’s move to Arsenal and Jota’s recent transfer to Al-Ittihad. With such a benchmark in place, it’s no surprise that the Glasgow giants are holding out for a similar sum to consider parting ways with O’Riley.

The Danish midfielder has been a standout performer for Celtic since his arrival, quickly establishing himself as a fan favourite at Parkhead. He’s integral to Rodgers’ plans as Celtic aim to continue their domestic dominance and make their mark in the Champions League.

Atalanta seem desperate to get a deal done for O’Riley, but they have to be coming to the realisation that they must hit a certain number for that dream to become a reality.

Celtic don’t need the money from his sale and Matt is very cool behind the scenes, not agitating for a move as we understand. Given Atalanta’s strong interest and their ability to perhaps meet our valuation before the deadline as well as Matt’s preference to play with a Champions league side this season. Things will continue to be up in the air.