Former Celtic manager Neil Lennon has no doubt that Matt O’Riley would make the grade at Manchester United with the Premier League giants admirers of the highly-rated Denmark international.
Back in August, ESPN reported that the Red Devils were keeping tabs on a player who joined Celtic from MK Dons for a bargain £1.5 million two years ago next month.
Since then, Matt O’Riley has gone from ‘key player’ to bonafide talisman at the Scottish champions. In fact, his performances have been so impressive – ‘magnificent’, to quote Lennon – that it seems only a matter of time before he becomes the next player to leave Celtic for a colossal fee, following in the footsteps of Virgil van Dijk, Moussa Dembele and co.
Manchester United eye Celtic’s Matt O’Riley
“Matt’s had a huge impact on the team this season. He’s been magnificent. Wherever I’ve watched him, be it domestically or in Europe, he’s been excellent,” Lennon tells the Scottish Sun.
“His three assists in the Champions League were out of this world, and his game has just improved no end. Under Brendan, he’s scoring a lot of goals, and creating so many opportunities. He’s always a threat, and he’s got a real knack of making those late runs into the box, undetected.
“He’s a fantastic talent.”
O’Riley has nine goals and eight assists to his name this term, his masterful display against Atletico Madrid on Europe’s biggest stage the stand-out moment in a season full of stellar performances. The 23-year-old former Fulham prospect may be a potential replacement for the ageing Christian Eriksen at Old Trafford, in a move that would see him link up with compatriot Rasmus Hojlund.
Arsenal and Newcastle have also been linked.
And Lennon, who had two spells as Celtic manager, has no doubt that O’Riley would make the grade south of the border.
‘£30 million at least’
“He’s proven himself at the highest level, in the Champions League. He’s been the best player in Scotland this season. So you’re looking at £25 to 30 million for him, at least,” Lennon adds.
“I think he’s a top, top player and I believe he could play at a very high level in the Premier League. If you’re looking at any of the top six or seven teams in England, Matt could play there.
“Maybe he wouldn’t get straight into the first XI. But he’d take his game up a level at any of those clubs, I’m sure of that.
“He’s such an intelligent player and he takes everything on board from his coaches, whoever he’s playing under.”
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