Atalanta has made a third offer for Celtic’s Matt O’Riley, demonstrating their determination to secure the midfielder. The latest bid from the Italian club stands at €17 million, which is €2 million more than their previous offer that Celtic had rejected. The negotiations are being facilitated by intermediary Blash Hosseini.
Gianluca Di Marzio reports how O’Riley has already expressed his approval for the potential move to Atalanta and has reached a preliminary agreement with the Bergamo-based club for a long-term contract, likely spanning five years. The final step is for Atalanta and Celtic to agree on the transfer terms, with Atalanta pushing hard to finalize the deal.
The proposed deal involves an immediate payment for the loan, with a mandatory purchase clause to be activated in 2025. This structure could expedite the agreement, allowing Celtic to save on O’Riley’s salary for the upcoming month. The total operation is valued at around €35 million, with Atalanta set to pay between €7 and €10 million upfront and the remaining amount in a year.
However, before finalizing the deal, Atalanta needs to offload some players. Dean Huijsen, a 19-year-old central defender recently returned from a loan at Roma, is a prime candidate for departure. The club hopes to raise €20-25 million from his sale, with interest from clubs like Stuttgart, Wolfsburg, and PSG.
If everything proceeds as planned, the agreement between Atalanta and Celtic could be sealed by the end of the month. This would allow Atalanta to integrate O’Riley into their squad in time for the start of the new season.
