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Matt O’Riley once again watched by Newcastle United ahead of January transfer window

1 year ago
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Matt O’Riley has once again been watched by Newcastle United.

The 21 year old midfielder has been reported as regularly scouted by Newcastle throughout 2022, after signing for Celtic in January 2022 from MK Dons for £1.5m.

Having come through the youth system at Fulham, the midfielder’s first move was to MK Dons for regular football, turning down a contract at Craven Cottage.

Having impressed with 10 goals from midfield in 48 League One starts, that helped pave the way for a move north of the border.

An instant hit for Celtic from January 2022 onwards with seven direct goal involvements (four goals, three assists) from ten Scottish Premier League starts, Matt O’Riley became the target of a lot of attention from the Premier League, including Newcastle United regularly watching him.

Before the summer transfer window ended, Matt O’Riley was asked about the interest in him:

“I know that Leicester showed a lot of interest in me.

“I think Newcastle United were there too.

“I didn’t think about it because nobody from Celtic told me Newcastle had made an offer.

“It wasn’t like that, so there wasn’t much to think about.”

The question now is whether Newcastle United follow up this interest / scouting with a firm offer in January.

The indications are growing that this will happen, as Football Scotland and other media have now reported that Newcastle have been to watch the exciting midfielder yet again.

Matt O’Riley watched in a double header by Newcastle this international window, a double header for the Denmark Under 21s (born in England, the 21 year old also qualifies to play for Denmark and Norway due to family connections) against their Croatia counterparts. Very impressive in both games, O’Riley got an assist in a 2-1 defeat away in Croatia last Saturday, then scored in a 2-1 home win for the Danes against the same opposition on Wednesday. That means he has four direct goal involvements (two goals, two assists) for the Denmark Under 21s in five starts.

His form for club and country has seen Matt O’Riley also reportedly interest Manchester United and Arsenal, as well as Newcastle United and Leicester City.

This season hasn’t seen any league goals so far but Matt O’Riley has five assists in just six starts this campaign, so altogether 12 (four goals, eight assists) direct goal involvements so far in the league since joining Celtic despite only 16 starts. His last start in the Scottish Premier saw the 21 year old play a starring role with two assists, as Celtic hammered Rangers 4-0.

Matt O’Riley turns 22 in November and no surprise if we do see a move from Newcastle United.

There is a clear plan to sign as much young talent as possible, to build all levels of the club and repair the damage of a decade and a half of Mike Ashley rule.

The new Newcastle United set-up have already been very busy in signing up a lot of young talent for the future, as well as the more headline making senior signings. The likes of Charlie McArthur, Jordan Hackett, Jude Smith and Alex Murphy all added in recent months to the Under 21 NUFC strength, with Sky Sports reporting yesterday that exciting 18 year old striker Garang Kuol will shortly sign a contact and agree a transfer from Central Coast Mariners.

Whilst at senior level, some £135m has been invested in a pair of twenty two year olds in Sven Botman and Alexander Isak, plus 24 year old Bruno Guimaraes. Eddie Howe with the help of Dan Ashworth, now trying to put the building blocks / foundations in place for an ever improving young team that can grow in the years ahead.

Matt O’Riley now looking a real contender to become part of that.

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