At the end of last season, few would’ve thought that by the beginning of the new campaign, both Jota and Carl Starfelt would no longer be Celtic players. The duo joined the club in summer 2021 and contributed to five trophy wins between them.
The flamboyant Portuguese winger scored many a crucial goal before leaving for Al-Ittihad; meanwhile, Starfelt’s move to Celta Vigo is growing likelier due to several reasons.
For supporters, losing the duo is disappointing, but Matt O’Riley has been left even more disheartened by their respective departures.
The Danish midfielder had strong friendships with both Jota and Starfelt. The trio were close and amid their departures, O’Riley joked he has no buddies left in Glasgow. The 22-year-old said (Football Scotland): “He has been a very, very important player. He is probably one of my best friends here as well, so I’m a bit sad because I am losing all my friends here it seems. Me, Carl and Jota were quite close, so the trio has been destroyed. Then there was one!”
Although his mates have left, it is highly unlikely that O’Riley will depart Celtic any time soon. The treble-winning midfielder is looking forward to his second full season in Scotland which he started off perfectly at the weekend against Ross County with a goal and assist. He has three years remaining on his Parkhead deal and it looks like he could thrive under Brendan Rodgers in 2023/24.
