Atalanta is preparing to submit a fifth bid for Celtic midfielder Matt O’Riley, following their previous £20 million offer which Celtic rejected over the weekend.
Persistent throughout the transfer window, Atalanta’s interest in O’Riley is part of a broader competition involving clubs from both the Premier League—such as Brighton, Chelsea, and Southampton—and other European teams like Atletico Madrid and Inter Milan.
Despite the escalating bids, with Atalanta’s initial one around £14 million, Celtic has consistently held firm on their valuation, under no pressure to sell one of their key players. Brendan Rodgers, Celtic’s manager, has talked about the club’s strong position in the negotiations, insisting that any departure would require a record-breaking offer, instructing clubs to value the player, not the league.
According to Sky Sports, Atalanta believes their forthcoming fifth bid might finally meet Celtic’s expectations, potentially setting a new club record if accepted. But they’ll need to act fast. Brighton is seemingly going to match Celtic’s asking price in an attempt to get him down south.
UPDATE: Atalanta are preparing a fifth bid for Celtic midfielder Matt O’Riley, according to our colleagues @SkySport in Italy.@SkySportsNews revealed last night that the Hoops rejected a fourth bid of £20m from the Serie A club. https://t.co/uG6qDZ1tdc pic.twitter.com/n78Om7Q7GL
— Anthony Joseph (@AnthonyRJoseph) August 11, 2024
