Updated: 8 May 2026 12:56 BST |
4 min read
Celtic are in line for a huge payday thanks to a clause they have for Matt O’Riley, who finds himself a transfer target for Atletico Madrid.
O’Riley finds himself surplus to demands under Fabian Hurzeler on the south coast and was moved on loan to Marseille last summer. That switch only lasted until January as the situation in France turned sour.
But the Parkhead favourite remains high on the list of Atletico Madrid, according to Sky Sports, which indicates that Diego Simeone’s side are ready to launch a bid for the midfielder that could prove lucrative to the Glasgow outfit.
Atletico Madrid in Matt O’Riley link
Diego Simeone’s side were initially attracted to O’Riley in January 2024, when they launched a bid worth around €24m to sign the Denmark international midfielder, who was still at Celtic at the time.
Although this was rejected, they remain interested in the 25-year-old and are ready to launch another move for a player who has featured in only six Premier League games this season.
The Seagulls are likely to demand a fee around the €30m mark, which was the sum they spent to sign O’Riley from Celtic two years ago.
Atleti, who see O’Riley as a player who could add vital depth to their side, face potential competition from Serie A clubs.
How much could Celtic make?
Celtic are reported to have a 10% sell-on clause in the agreement they made with Brighton in 2024. This has been variously reported as both a straight sell-on clause and a clause that applies only to any profit the Premier League side makes on the player.
Calculating exactly how much the Hoops stand to make from any agreement is not an exact science. In the case of a straight sell-on clause, the Parkhead club can expect a welcome injection of around €3m this summer, but it could also be nothing if the Seagulls sell cheap.
O’Riley open to summer move
O’Riley, meanwhile, has admitted that he could leave Brighton this summer.
“Honestly, right now, I’m not sure,” he told The Brighton Base when asked about his future. “That’s the honest answer. I’ve always said this. I love being here at Brighton. I love what the club stands for, the values, all the stuff I do with the foundation.
“I have a lot of good relationships with everyone at the club, but, at the same time, as a player, you naturally want to play. We train every day to improve ourselves, of course, but you also train to make an impact for your team on a match day.
“We’ll see how the rest of the season pans out, and, you know, I’d like to hope I’d be involved in some of the games going to the end of the season, but regardless, end of the season, I think I’ll have a bit more clarity on kind of where I stand and how that looks going into the summer.”
O’Riley’s Estimated Transfer Value (ETV) stands at €24.4m.
Related stories:
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Transfer Rumours: Man Utd’s €170m budget as Osimhen offer made
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