Southampton’s bid for Danish midfielder Matt O’Riley has received some positive news, but a deal for the 23-year-old Celtic star is far from a formality.
O’Riley has been on Saints’ target list all summer and manager Russell Martin is keen to reunite with the player, who he worked with when he was in charge at MK Dons.
Southampton have reportedly already made contact with Celtic and the player himself, and their hopes of securing his signature appear to have been boosted by his willingness to agree to personal terms in the range of what the English club are willing to pay.
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However, the newly promoted Premier League team is not the only one interested and A rumoured move from Atalanta to Serie A could still scupper the deal.
The Italian team has been considered the favourites to sign him, although so far no club has been able to match Celtic’s asking price.
The figure is believed to be in excess of £20 million ($25.7 million).
Southampton fans react to O’Riley news
News of the latest development comes from Saints reporter. Alfie’s Housewho revealed on X (Twitter) that personal terms should not be an obstacle to any possible agreement.
And despite the Southampton Echo reporter stressing the move was still a long way off, that didn’t stop some Saints fans from getting excited, with one simply responding “Huge!”
Minor update, but personal terms shouldn’t be an issue now, it seems all parties are happy in that regard. It doesn’t mean anything will happen, there’s still plenty to do including achieving Celtic’s valuation and of course beating any other interested clubs, but just to keep you posted.#SantosFC
— Alfie House (@AlfieHouseEcho) July 26, 2024
The club are now expected to return with a higher offer than their initial £14m (US$18m) in a bid to move negotiations with Celtic forward.
