Despite media reports a week or so ago, Brighton never actually tabled a bid for Celtic midfielder Matt O’Riley.
And the news today, as reported by Fabrizio Romano strongly suggests that they won’t as the Premier League club has just spent £25m on another midfielder, Brajan Gruda from German side Mainz. Gruda was Brighton’s ‘dream target’ all along and they’ve now got their man.
“Brajan Gruda to Brighton, here we go! Deal in place for German midfielder to leave Mainz and join BHAFC project. £25m fee verbally agreed and long term deal for Gruda, set to sign soon as Hürzeler wanted him. As revealed weeks ago, Gruda was dream target for Brighton,” Fabrizio Romano reports.
🚨🔵 Brajan Gruda to Brighton, here we go! Deal in place for German midfielder to leave Mainz and join #BHAFC project.
£25m fee verbally agreed and long term deal for Gruda, set to sign soon as Hürzeler wanted him.
As revealed weeks ago, Gruda was dream target for Brighton. pic.twitter.com/owrOBG9W7e
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) August 13, 2024
It certainly looks like Matt O’Riley may have been Brighton’s back-up plan all along and if this news, as seems likely, means that they are out of the running for the Celtic midfielder who is also valued at £25m, then is appears to be down to Atalanta.
Chelsea were reported to be interested but signing up to a few Chelsea ITK accounts, for daily email updates, we can confirm that Matt O’Riley’s name has NOT been mentioned at all.
So that leaves Atalanta, who look set to return to Celtic shortly with a fifth bid, which was again under the asking price and was quickly rejected. The Europa league winners have interest in their own players but want replacements lined up before concluding but time is now running short.
Celtic will NOT sell for lower than the asking price, especially after having to yield to Norwich City’s asking price on Adam Idah yesterday, a move that is most welcome.
So if Atalanta won’t go to £25m the chances of Celtic retaining O’Riley for another season, or at least until the January window, are perhaps a little bit higher this morning.
With supposed rivals Brighton out of the running, Atalanta may feel their own chances have improved as the only bidder in town as things currently stand. They may felt that their latest offer, probably around £22m would have be enough to tempt Michael Nicholson into doing business. But they were wrong in that and will therefore be faced with paying the asking price or walking away. Hopefully it’s the latter.
Altalanta have no history of winning trophies other than the Europa League with a team that is no being rebuild after transfers. Was it 1961 the last time they lifted silverware? The Europa League triumph was exceptional, no doubts about that. It also gets them into the Champions League for this season anyway.
But Matt could probably do much better than that, having been linked with Atletico Madrid in January. Another year at Celtic, starring in the Champions League, could get him a more appropriate stage to shine on. Worth thinking about, son.
🚨🔵 Brajan Gruda to Brighton, here we go! Deal in place for German midfielder to leave Mainz and join #BHAFC project.
£25m fee verbally agreed and long term deal for Gruda, set to sign soon as Hürzeler wanted him.
As revealed weeks ago, Gruda was dream target for Brighton. pic.twitter.com/owrOBG9W7e
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) August 13, 2024
🇩🇰 | 𝘼𝙩𝙖𝙡𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙖 𝘽𝙞𝙙 𝙍𝙚𝙟𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙚𝙙 (𝘼𝙜𝙖𝙞𝙣)
Serie A side Atalanta have made a fifth offer to Celtic for Matt O’Riley.
Drum roll pleaseeeeeeee… rejected.
Atalanta won’t sell Koopmeiners to Juve until they’ve his replacement in the door.
[@DiMarzio] pic.twitter.com/AksrftVR0k
— Everything Celtic (@aboutceltic) August 12, 2024
Gianluca Di Marzio reports that Atalanta submitted a new bid for Celtic’s Matt O’Riley last night. Let’s hope this is the bid that gets the deal done. pic.twitter.com/d4YfMWihjS
— Atalanta BC News (@AtalantaBC_News) August 13, 2024
