O’Riley 2.0: Celtic star was initially “shocking” for Rodgers, now he’s unplayable – opinion

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers faced a setback when attacking midfielder Matt O’Riley was sold to Brighton & Hove Albion for an initial £25m ahead of the 2024/25 season. O’Riley was a key player for Rodgers last season, contributing 18 goals and 13 assists in 37 Scottish Premiership appearances. However, despite O’Riley’s departure, Celtic continued to thrive, exemplified by their impressive 3-1 Champions League victory over RB Leipzig, where new signing Nicolas Kuhn shone.

 

Kuhn, who joined Celtic from Rapid Vienna in January for £3m, initially struggled but has since become an essential player, emerging as a regular goal-scorer and assist provider. In the 2024/25 season, Kuhn has tallied 9 goals and 10 assists in just 16 appearances, more than one contribution per game on average. His performances have drawn significant praise, with some journalists even suggesting he could be worth €50m (£42m) now, which would be a substantial increase from his original transfer fee.

 

Kuhn’s stats compare favorably to O’Riley’s from the previous season, with similar contributions in terms of goals and assists. As Celtic’s new attacking force, Kuhn has quickly made a name for himself and attracted interest from Premier League clubs. Rodgers will hope to retain the talented forward, just as O’Riley’s success at Brighton continues to highlight the value of Celtic’s player development.

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