Sport nationBrendan Rodgers Remains Calm Amid Matt O’Riley Transfer Speculation
Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers is staying calm despite ongoing transfer speculation surrounding midfielder Matt O’Riley. The 23-year-old Danish international has been the subject of bids from Atalanta and Chelsea, but Rodgers is unfazed, citing O’Riley’s focus on improving as a player and helping the team.
Rodgers praised O’Riley’s performance in Celtic’s 4-0 win over Kilmarnock, saying he understands his value to the club and is thriving in a team that will only improve him. However, Rodgers didn’t rule out an eventual departure, stating that O’Riley knows where he stands and is currently focused on helping the team.
“We are quite calm on that,” Rodgers told BBC Scotland. “Yeah, there’s been offers for him, but nowhere near the valuation of the player himself. He’s just continuing to work every day, and like I said, he understands where it’s at.”
Rodgers emphasized O’Riley’s importance to the team, highlighting his exceptional performance level throughout pre-season and in the win over Kilmarnock. He noted that O’Riley is very focused on helping the team and improving as a player, and that he knows he’s in a great place to do that.
The Celtic boss also discussed the transfer window, stating that the club will continue to work with O’Riley and aim to improve the squad ahead of the Champions League campaign. Rodgers expressed his desire to bring in Adam Idah, who is currently with Norwich City, but negotiations are ongoing.
“He’s a Norwich player, so I’ve got nothing to add to that,” Rodgers stated. “But I thought Kyogo was outstanding today. He was unfortunate not to get a penalty. I don’t know why he hasn’t, because he was onside and the keeper has brought him down – and you can’t say that he wasn’t going to get the ball because the recovering defender got the ball.”
Rodgers praised Kyogo’s link-up play and movement in behind, saying he deserved a goal. He noted that Celtic are short in numbers up front, but is pleased with the current options.
The article concludes with Rodgers’ comments on the transfer window, stating that Celtic will continue to work with O’Riley and aim to improve the squad ahead of the Champions League campaign. With the transfer deadline looming, Rodgers remains calm and focused on the task at hand.
In addition to O’Riley’s transfer speculation, Rodgers also discussed the team’s performance in the win over Kilmarnock. He praised the team’s connection, passing, and speed of play, saying they were very good.
“I was so pleased for the first game of the season, and we hoped after the preseason we’ve had with the fluidity of the team and work and mentality that that then can come into your first game, and we certainly did that,” Rodgers said.
Rodgers also highlighted the importance of retaining O’Riley ahead of their Champions League campaign, stating that it would be a bonus to have him stay. However, he acknowledged that the transfer window is unpredictable and that the club must be prepared for any eventuality.
“I would love for one, Matt to be here. But also two, to have more tools to give it a real go at the Champions League. It’s one of our big targets this season. We want to see if we can get into those play-off phases, and for that, obviously with so many games, so many challenges in this season for us, we want to improve the squad.”
Overall, Rodgers remains calm and focused on the task at hand, despite the ongoing transfer speculation surrounding O’Riley. With the transfer deadline looming, Celtic fans will be eager to see how the situation unfolds.
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