WASHINGTON – Matt O’Riley has grown into an important player for Celtic and despite reported rumors of a potential exit from Glasgow this summer, Hoops manager Brendan Rodgers is confident that O’Riley will stay.
The 23-year-old wore the captain’s armband on Saturday night as Celtic ran out 4-0 winners against MLS hosts DC United. O’Riley scored a first-half brace for the Hoops, setting the tone in a first victory for Celtic of their U.S. preseason tour.
Not only did O’Riley find the back of the net twice, he was aggressive in midfield, winning possession on multiple occasions and springing several counter attacking chances.
The London-born midfielder made the move to Parkhead in 2022 and has certainly made his impact known during his two-and-a-half years with the club. O’Riley has contributed 27 goals and 34 assists in 121 combined appearances, winning six trophies, including three Scottish Premiership titles.
After beginning his career at Fulham and continuing it at MK Dons, O’Riley has quickly become one of the familiar faces in the Scottish Premiership, which has led to the start of his senior international career with Denmark in 2023.
English Premier League clubs Liverpool and Southampton have been linked with the Danish international’s services this summer, while Serie A side Atalanta have also made inquiries to acquire him. While the opportunity to return to England or embark on a new opportunity in Italy may sound enticing, the familiarity O’Riley has with Rodgers and his Celtic teammates might be what keeps him in Scotland for at least another season.
“His attitude has been first class,” Rodgers said about Saturday evening’s captain. “There’s absolutely been no change in Matt’s demeanor. I think he knows the privileges of playing for Celtic and he knows what Celtic has given him. It’s not a burden for him to be at Celtic, he has developed into a fantastic player.
“When you do that, there’s always going to be speculation and interest,” he added. “As a coach, you will always work on improving and developing him. He has a first class attitude, he knows what the situation is and captained the team tonight. He’s a fantastic professional.”
Celtic continues its U.S. tour on Tuesday against reigning Premier League winners Manchester City in Chapel Hill, N.C.
Larry Henry Jr
Managing Editor – SBI Soccer
Staff Writer – MLS NEXT Pro
The Celtic Star – Special Contributor
Larry will be providing match reports and commentary on The Celtic Star from Celtic’s matches against Manchester City and Chelsea later this week…
