Leicester City are prepared to rival Arsenal and Manchester United for exciting Celtic midfielder Matt O’Riley in January.
According to the Daily Record, Leicester City want to sign Celtic midfielder Matt O’Riley in January. There is stiff competition from Arsenal and Manchester United for the English-born Danish midfielder, who joined the Scottish giants last year.
Leicester City remain in a precarious position following a disastrous start to the Premier League season. Brendan Rodgers’s position has come under intense scrutiny following the team’s performances, yielding just five points from their opening 10 games.
While Rodgers remains on the brink, the Foxes are exploring ways to improve the squad in January. In contrast, Leicester City were inactive in the summer and only signed a few players closer to deadline day. Their decisions have come in for criticism, but they are ready to make amends in the coming months.
One player they remain keen on signing is Matt O’Riley. The Celtic midfielder is high on the Premier League club’s shortlist for January signings. However, there could be difficulties in finalising the deal. For one, there is the tense competition going by media stories, with clubs such as Arsenal and Manchester United keen on signing the 21-year-old Danish star.
Secondly, would O’Riley want to move away from a thriving environment and join a side that might be scrapping for relegation? There is an understanding that players sometimes snub big clubs in favour of mid-table Premier League teams to play regularly.
Leicester City are not the only club in that position, as Crystal Palace are reportedly keen on O’Riley if he becomes available. The English-born, Danish Under-21 midfielder only moved to Celtic last January from MK Dons. He has become an integral part of the club, providing five assists in ten league games.
Celtic paid a reported fee of £1.6 million for the midfielder. They might be in for a significant profit if Premier League clubs come knocking. Arsenal and Manchester United could pay decent sums, as both clubs are keen on bringing in young talents.
O’Riley could continue playing with Celtic beyond January, but the lure of the Premier League usually proves difficult to turn down. Whether he would join Leicester and help revive their season this term remains to be seen. The Foxes could try to get the deal over the line, but competition from big teams could complicate matters.