The ex Hoops hero is clearly a player the Italian boss admires
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Former Celtic star Matt O’Riley has been the subject of interest from Tottenham Hotspur, as Roberto De Zerbi hopes to reunite with the Brighton midfielder.
The Seagulls are ready to ‘listen to offers’ for the 25-year old, who became a huge fan favourite during his three seasons at Celtic Park, winning six major honours. He was signed by Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler for around £30m in 2024, making him Celtic’s most expensive ever export. After two seasons at the Amex, one of which on loan at De Zerbi’s Marseille, Hurzeler is now willing to let him move on.
O’Riley returned to to the south of England from the south of France in February when his loan move was terminated - the same month De Zerbi was sacked after they were eliminated from the Champions League. Now that the Italian has returned to England with Tottenham, the Danish maestro looks to be high on his priority list for next season. European giants Atletico Madrid and Borussia Dortmund are also reportedly interested.
Spurs ‘prepare’ to make transfer advances for ex Celtic star
According to Football Insider, Hurzeler is hoping to cash in on O’Riley. They claim: “Brighton are ready to ‘listen to offers’ for the 25-year-old (O’Riley), with sources indicating that he will not be part of Fabian Hurzeler’s plans for next term after his loan spell with Marseille.
“The South Coast outfit are looking to recoup as much of the £25million that they paid to sign him from Celtic as possible, as it has quickly become clear that there is no future for him at the Amex Stadium. Tottenham’s transfer plans are set to see them strengthen across the board this summer after another difficult campaign, and they are prepared to try to take advantage of O’Riley’s challenging situation.”
O’Riley had a disastrous start to his Brighton career when he picked a nasty ankle injury just nine minutes into his debut in an EFL Cup tie against Crawley Town. After receiving surgery, he returned to the grass three months later and showed signs of promise, finding the target for the first time against then-defending champions Manchester City. This was only one of three goals he scored for the club. He remains under contract Brighton until the summer of 2029.
Why did Brighton pay top dollar for O’Riley?
The Dane had no such issues in front of goal at Parkhead, where he was an output machine. When signed by former boss Ange Postecoglou for £1.5m from MK Dons, O’Riley was a relative unknown. After helping the club to league glory in his first season after being signed in January, the midfielder was then an integral part of the side who won the treble during the 2022/23 season.
It was however the next season when O’Riley went into overdrive, notching 18 league goals and 13 assists in 37 appearances. It was then when he was awarded his first cap for the Danish National Team and started attracting outside interest as the Hoops secure the league and cup double. After being awarded Celtic’s Player of the Year, he left for Brighton the following August.
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