Celtic wasted £2.4m on Postecoglou signing who earned as much as O’Riley

Brendan Rodgers oversaw a busy summer transfer window at Celtic, offloading several players who were on the fringes of the first-team squad. Mikey Johnston, Hyeon-gyu Oh, Sead Haksabanovic, and Tomoki Iwata all departed on permanent deals, joining clubs like West Bromwich Albion, Genk, Malmo, and Birmingham City. These exits freed up space and resources, enabling Celtic to bring in new talents such as Arne Engels, Adam Idah, Paulo Bernardo, and Kasper Schmeichel to strengthen the squad for the new season.

However, Brendan Rodgers likely had a preference to keep Matt O’Riley, a key player for Celtic. O’Riley has been a standout performer, and his presence in the squad remains valuable. On the other hand, there was likely at least one underperforming player or “dud” that Rodgers would have preferred to move on but wasn’t able to, reflecting the challenges of balancing transfers and maintaining squad strength.

Matt O’Riley’s exit from Celtic was a significant move during the summer transfer window, as Premier League side Brighton & Hove Albion signed the Denmark international for a record-breaking Scottish transfer fee of over £25 million. O’Riley had been a standout performer for Celtic, and his departure marked a big financial win for the club, although it also left a gap in their midfield. Brighton’s acquisition of O’Riley highlights his rising stock in European football.

Matt O’Riley had an outstanding 2023/24 campaign in the Scottish Premiership, playing a pivotal role in Celtic’s midfield. The left-footed playmaker excelled both as a goal-scorer and a creator. His impressive statistics are a testament to his influence:

– **Sofascore rating**: 7.91 (1st in squad)
– **Goals**: 18 (1st in squad)
– **Assists**: 13 (1st in squad)
– **Big chances created**: 14 (1st in squad)
– **Key passes per game**: 2.5 (1st in squad)

These remarkable figures highlight why O’Riley attracted significant attention from Premier League clubs like Brighton & Hove Albion.

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