Matt O’Riley’s Celtic future latest as Atalanta make progress on alternative target

Francis Turley, a Celtic youth, has had a fantastic few days following his first senior goal for the Bhoys against Queen’s Park earlier in the week.

In the second half, the 18-year-old skilfully capitalised on a precise cutback, earning Brendan Rodgers’ commendation for the player’s “natural instinct” after the game.

“I’ve only seen him in the last few days, but it’s obvious he plays football,” he said. He has an innate ability to enter the box and performs some amazing feats with the ball. It was the last thirty minutes that I was truly happy for him.

There is opportunity for one or two superstars to make a claim for further playing time because Rodgers is content to rotate his team during the preseason.

In the wake of his heroics at The City Stadium, Turley has now earned a prize outside of professional football.

Francis Turley receives a thrilling global award
Turley has been called up by the Northern Ireland Under-19s for their impending participation in the European Championships, according to Celtic B’s official X account.

Turkey, Italy, Norway, Ukraine, Denmark, Spain, and France are the other seven competitors.

Turley has already made progress in his brief Celtic career, and in a few days, he will get the opportunity to compete against other top young players, which will only help him advance as a football player.

Leading the charge to get his signature has been Atlanta. The Europa League winners have had multiple bids for O’Riley rejected because they don’t match the Bhoys’ asking price.

The Denmark international has also been linked to Brighton & Hove Albion. But now that Brajan Gruda is joining from Mainz, their respect seems to have diminished.

After O’Riley scored 19 goals and provided 18 assists for Southampton last season, manager Russell Martin of Southampton also stated that his team isn’t in the running for O’Riley. This could give Celtic fans new hope that they can hold onto their great player.

Now, additional information about his circumstances has surfaced, which could support that theory.

Atlanta advances in their chase of Lazar Samardzic
Atalanta and Udinese attacking midfielders are reportedly close to reaching a personal terms agreement, according to Fabrizio Romano.

“EXCL: Atalanta met with Lazar Samardzić’s agent today; personal terms were agreed upon,” he said. Talks have also begun between Atalanta and Udinese, with Samardzić potentially a top target following Juventus’ €52 million + €7 million add-on bid for Koopmeiners.

Any action will, of course, depend on Teun Koopmeiners finishing his transfer to Juventus. Expect Atalanta to attempt to replace the Netherlands international as soon as that is finalised, since that has been in the works for some time.

Crucially, this information can mean that they will no longer be interested in O’Riley. They don’t seem to be looking to add two offensive midfield players this close to the deadline.

Matt O’Riley remaining at Celtic would be a huge advantage.
There are no words to adequately describe what O’Riley offers Celtic. He plays a key role in much of the midfield’s creative activity and is a key component of Brendan Rodgers’ tactical scheme.

He also discovered his shooting touch during the previous season, and the Bhoys’ home-run victory depended heavily on his consistent goals.

This summer, there has been a lot of interest in his services, and more parties may approach him before the window closes. If other teams don’t like that, they can go on to other targets, but Celtic has remained strong in the market.

If O’Riley could stay with the Bhoys for one more season, that would be a huge help. Supporters will have to wait for a response on that front for the time being.