Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers has firmly stated that midfielder Matt O'Riley will not be leaving the club unless a suitable fee is met, amidst reported interest from both Atalanta and Southampton. The 23-year-old Danish international has been linked with a move away from Parkhead, with Southampton manager Russell Martin publicly expressing his admiration for the player, with whom he worked at MK Dons.
However, Rodgers has quashed any rumours of an imminent departure, stating in a press conference that "no player will leave here unless it is for the right valuation." He went on to explain that "at this moment in time, there's been no team that has been anywhere near that."
Rodgers expressed confidence in O'Riley's commitment to the club, dismissing any concerns about his attitude despite the transfer speculation. "It has actually been straightforward with Matt because he is such a great professional," he said.
He further elaborated on his stance, highlighting the need for clubs to value players appropriately, regardless of the league they play in. "I think the challenge for teams coming to a place like Celtic is that they can sometimes place a value on the league and not the player," Rodgers remarked. "Obviously there are riches in other leagues greater than ours that allow players to improve the conditions of their lives â we all understand that. But I think itâs really important, from my perspective, if a player does leave here, that they pay the value for the player. Iâve worked in the Premier League and I understand the levels there and what the values are there."
Meanwhile, the future of striker Adam Idah remains uncertain. The 23-year-old Republic of Ireland international returned to Norwich City after a loan spell at Celtic last season. He was left out of their recent pre-season friendly with Hoffenheim due to a disciplinary issue, with Norwich manager Johannes Hoff Thorup confirming that he was "reported late" for a team flight.
Rodgers remained tight-lipped on Idah's future, stating simply that "Adam is a Norwich player and I said he did fantastic with us last season and we'll just see what happens in the coming weeks." However, he stressed that Celtic still have significant work to do in the transfer market, with ambitions to be "much stronger" than last season by the end of the summer window.
