Southampton are £10 million short of the fee Celtic want for Matt O’Riley with Premier League rivals West Ham United, Everton, Fulham and Brentford having held talks with the Denmark international.

HITC understands that Celtic, if they are to cash in on their Player of the Year, want a fee that would make Matt O’Riley the club’s all-time most expensive export

Portuguese winger Jota currently holds that place in the Hoops history books. The former Benfica man left for Saudi Arabia in a deal worth around £25 million last summer.

Celtic are now holding out for £30 million for O’Riley.

And HITC have been told that Southampton and the Scottish Premiership champions remain around £10 million apart in their valuation of the talented playmaker, with the newly-promoted Saints hoping to secure O’Riley’s services for closer to £20 million.

There is no shortage of interest elsewhere in England’s top flight.

West Ham United, Everton and Brentford have all held talks. So too have a Fulham side with whom O’Riley stated his career. The Hounslow-born schemer joined The Cottagers’ academy back in 2009 but made only five first-team appearances before joining MK Dons over a decade later.

O’Riley, then, may potentially feel he has unfinished business at Fulham.

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Southampton face West Ham battle for Matt O’Riley

Southampton, meanwhile, will be hoping the Russell Martin factor works in their favour.

Martin, the man who guided The Saints to play-off final glory over Leeds at Wembley, worked with O’Riley at MK Dons and made no secret of his desire to reunite with the 23-year-old during his time in the Swansea City dugout.

“Wow. What a technician,” Martin told Sky Sports, recalling the first day he saw O’Riley in action.

“He was incredible. We played Spurs in pre-season and he was outstanding against them. We went and played at Rochdale on a Tuesday night. It was freezing and the pitch was an ice rink, but Matt put on a masterclass.

“Myself and my staff left for Swansea and we tried to bring him there. It was a very sad moment for me when the deal we tried to do fell down. But then he went to Celtic and he’s just kept on progressing. And I’m not surprised.

“It’s his mentality that sets him apart. He’s supremely confident and a super pro; his diet is spot on, and he’s really athletic, more than he is given credit for. He’s got everything to play at the top – for Denmark and in the Premier League.” 

Celtic want £30m for former Fulham youngster

Southampton’s interest, meanwhile, long precedes Martin’s arrival at St Mary’s. Southampton were keen back in January 2022, when Celtic won the race to the tune of a bargain £1.5 million. The Glasgow giants are now in line for a massive profit.

If the play-off champions are to avoid lightning striking twice, they may have to put their money where their mouth is and stump up closer to the £30 million fee Brendan Rodgers’ side want.

Interestingly, HITC understands that Southampton have agreed a £3 million deal for another of Martin’s former favourites; the highly-rated Swans centre-back Nathan Wood. Ronnie Edwards of Peterborough United is also arriving for the same fee.

Sources have also told HITC there is also interest in O’Riley from Atalanta, Monaco, Lyon and an Atletico Madrid side who attempted to sign O’Riley in January, shortly after his sparkling display against Diego Simeone’s side in the Champions League group-stages.

O’Riley ended 2023/24 with a staggering 19 goals and 18 assists in all competitions.

It was a major surprise, then, when he was left out of Denmark’s squad for Euro 2024 despite manager Kasper Hjulmand lauding his progress.

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