Updated at 14.55
CELTIC MANAGER Brendan Rodgers has rejected Atletico Madrid’s bid for Matt O’Riley and will not listen to any further approaches for the Denmark midfielder.
Rodgers claimed Atletico’s offer for O’Riley was well short of Celtic’s valuation, but the Scottish champions will not sell regardless of the financial incentive.
Atletico targeted O’Riley after he impressed against them in this season’s Champions League group stage.
Celtic’s lead at the top of the Scottish Premiership was cut to five points by Rangers’ win over Hibernian on Wednesday with the Ibrox club still holding one game in hand.
And Rodgers is keen to emerge from the transfer window with a stronger squad rather than a weakened one.
“Matt is a player we don’t want to lose and he won’t be going anywhere in January,” Rodgers told reporters on Thursday.
“It’s a great testament to him and what the club can do for a player. He won his first international cap this season and Atletico Madrid are a big club in European football.
“But he is very much part of what we are doing. He has been a joy to work with and I had a good chat with Matt and he is someone who will be here for us in the second part of the season.”
O’Riley, signed from MK Dons in 2022, is pushing for a place in Denmark’s Euro 2024 squad and appears happy to continue developing at Celtic.
The 23-year-old has produced 10 goals and 12 assists this season and recently extended his contract until 2027.
“He had an opportunity in the summer but he was very happy to extend here and obviously Atletico Madrid is a huge club but he also knows he is in a great place here,” Rodgers said.
“Firstly, you have a value of the player and certainly what has come in for Matt in the time I have been here is nowhere near the valuation of the quality of player he is. But even if it was we are in a position where we don’t want to sell.”
Elsewhere, West Ham have confirmed that Irish international Jessie Stapleton has joined Reading on loan for the remainder of the 2023-24 campaign.
The 18-year-old, who has two Ireland caps, signed for the Hammers last June, and drops down a division as she bids to gain regular first-team football.
Meanwhile, Newcastle manager Eddie Howe said on Friday that Premier League financial rules could force the club into selling star midfielder Joelinton at the end of the season.
Newcastle have been a revived force in English football since a takeover by the Saudi Public Investment Fund in October 2021 when they sat 19th in the Premier League table.
But off the field, the club are not immune from Premier League financial fair play regulations and they may now have to sell some of their leading players after posting a £73 million (€85 million) loss for the 2022/2023 season.
Joelinton, could be among those leaving St James’ Park, with negotiations over a new contract for the £40 million (€47 million) star having stalled.
He is set to miss the rest of the season after undergoing thigh surgery and Howe, asked if Joelinton had now played his last game for the Magpies, said Friday: “I’m not a fortune-teller and I certainly hope that is not the case. There is a possibility that could be the case, but I don’t know.
“18 months (left on a contract) is a vulnerable time for a club. The club will need to tie Joe down to a longer-term contract or there is a possibility he will be sold in the summer. That is just the reality of the situation.”
Nevertheless, Howe, speaking ahead of Newcastle’s FA Cup tie away to Fulham on Saturday, added: “As his manager, I’m determined for him to stay. I love him as a person and a player…But of course, there’s more to it than that.
“There’s Joe’s wishes and what he wants. Before he signs a contract he has to be entirely happy with everything. We’re not at that stage yet.”
Newcastle finished fourth last season to return to the Champions League for the first time in 20 years and reached the League Cup final.
However, they were not as active as expected in the pre-season transfer window and have paid a price this season as an injury crisis has left Howe’s squad on its knees.
A run of seven defeats in nine games saw Howe’s men crash out of Europe and drop to down the Premier League table — they are currently in 10th place.
But Newcastle’s ability to spend in the transfer market has been hampered by financial fair play (FFP) constraints.
The financial figures for last season showed a £70 million (€82 million) rise in turnover to £250 million (€293 million).
But chief executive Darren Eales said earlier this month that still left Newcastle well behind their rivals for a place in the Premier League’s top six.
“To put it into perspective, we want to be a top-six sustainable club and Tottenham’s latest accounts available, (total revenue) was £440 million (€515 million). We are at £250 million (€293 million), so there is a big step even to the lower end of the top six,” Eales explained.
“We have also seen that Manchester City are £710 million (€832 million) in revenue in their latest accounts. There is a long way to go in growing those revenues.”
Finally, Kalvin Phillips completed his loan move from Manchester City to West Ham, the clubs have announced.
The England midfielder will spend the rest of the season at the London Stadium.
The 28-year-old has been frustrated by a lack of game time at City since joining the club from Leeds in the summer of 2022.
Phillips told the Hammers’ website: “I’m really pleased to be here. There’s always been a lot of speculation about me moving to West Ham, so I’m really excited to get going now.
“There’s so much to look forward to in the second half of the season for the club and I can’t wait to be part of it.
“There’s an unbelievable group here and if I can come in and add the quality that I know I’m capable of, I’m sure we can give the West Ham fans plenty to be excited about between now and the end of the season.”
It had been reported the deal could include an option for West Ham to buy the player in the summer but it is understood that was not included in the final agreement.
