Celtic are enjoying the final international break of the season before they return to Scottish Premiership action against Hearts at Parkhead next weekend.
The Hoops are 13 points clear of Rangers in the top-flight table and are on course to win the league for a fourth successive season, whilst they have already won the League Cup and are in the semi-finals of the SFA Cup.
It has been a terrific campaign for Brendan Rodgers and his side, which may not have been what supporters expected after they – once again – cashed in on one of their best players last summer.
Matt O’Riley
Brighton
£25m+
Jota
Al-Ittihad
£25m
Kieran Tierney
Arsenal
£25m
Moussa Dembele
Lyon
£19.7m
Odsonne Edouard
Crystal Palace
£18.5m
As you can see in the table above, Celtic broke their transfer record when they sold Matt O’Riley to Premier League side Brighton & Hove Albion for a fee of more than £25m last year.
He went for even more than the likes of Jota and Kieran Tierney, who are now set to be teammates in Glasgow next season, after his exceptional displays for the Hoops in the 2023/24 campaign.
The former Fulham and MK Dons starlet was a hugely important player to Celtic and Rodgers last term, yet they have excelled since his departure from the club.
Why Matt O'Riley was so important to Celtic
The Danish attacking midfielder won the Player of the Year and Players’ Player of the Year awards at the club’s end-of-season awards night last summer, which speaks to how highly regarded he was by fans and teammates alike.
He earned those awards and that respect by delivering consistently brilliant performances on the pitch in an attacking midfield role for the Scottish giants in the 2023/24 campaign.
Sofascore rating
7.91
1st
Goals
18
1st
Assists
13
1st
Big chances created
14
1st
Key passes per game
2.5
1st
As you can see in the table above, O’Riley was the most influential attacking force in the Celtic squad with his ability to both scorer and assist goals in the middle of the park.
The left-footed wizard had the ability, as shown in the clip below, to ghost into the box to put himself in terrific positions to get a shot away and score.
O’Riley ended the season with a return of 18 goals and 16 assists in the Premiership and the Champions League combined, which convinced Brighton to break the bank to secure his services for more than £25m.
After the Denmark international was sold to the Seagulls, Celtic dipped into the market to break their transfer record to sign Arne Engels from Augsburg for £11m.
Why Arne Engels has been an excellent signing for Celtic
The Belgium international has been an excellent addition to the squad so far as he has been able to hit the ground running in his first season at Parkhead.
Celtic needed an instant injection of goals and assists from midfield after O’Riley moved on from the club, and that is exactly what Engels has provided with ten goals and 12 assists in 42 matches in all competitions.
The 21-year-old talent was brought in for a significant fee and there may have been expectations because of that, which is why his return in front of goal from midfield under the pressure of expectation and the transfer fee is particularly impressive.
Engels, who has shown great composure from the penalty spot this season, may not be the next O’Riley for Celtic, though, in the sense of being this upcoming summer’s big summer sale.
Instead, Rodgers may have unearthed his new version of the Danish star in German forward Nicolas Kuhn, who could be sold for a big profit this summer.
Why Nicolas Kuhn could be the new Matt O'Riley
The summer transfer window is only a few months away from officially opening for business and the left-footed winger has been linked with a big-money move away from Parkhead.
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It was claimed last month that Premier League side Newcastle United hold an interest in the former Bayern Munich prospect, and that the Hoops are set to demand a fee of at least £20m for his services, which would make him the fourth-most expensive player in the club’s history.
This suggests that there is tangible interest in the forward, who was linked with Brentford and Fulham earlier in the season, ahead of the next transfer window, which is why he could be the new O’Riley as the latest big-money sale for Celtic, rather than Engels – who does not appear to have as many suitors lining up to pay £20m+ for him this year.
Rodgers deserves great credit for the work he has done with the German attacker because his form has vastly improved from his first five months at the club, following his move to Paradise from Rapid Vienna at the start of last year.
Appearances
14
25
Goals
2
10
Big chances created
5
8
Key passes per game
1.3
1.7
Assists
2
7
Dribbles completed per game
1.4
1.9
As you can see in the table above, the 25-year-old star has delivered goals, key passes, assists, and completed dribbles more frequently than he did in the second half of last season.
Kuhn, who has been described as “breathtaking” by pundit Marvin Bartley, has racked up 18 goals and 13 assists in all competitions for the Hoops this season, which shows that he is close to matching O’Riley’s haul of goals and assists from the 2023/24 campaign.
The former Rapid Vienna man, who was signed for £3m in January of last year, has offered a constant threat as a scorer and a creator of goals, just as the Dane did, and that could, now, earn him a £20m+ move to the Premier League this summer.
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Therefore, Rodgers appears to have unearthed his next O’Riley by turning a £3m signing into a consistent forward who could make a big-money move away from Parkhead in the summer, earning the club a significant profit on him in the process.