Southampton lining up big move

Southampton have been extremely busy this summer transfer window to date, adding in new gems to strengthen the team, whilst also tying down former loan stars to permanent deals.

Fans of the newly promoted South Coast outfit would have been overjoyed to see Flynn Downes return for good recently, whilst they’ll be equally excited to see the likes of Nathan Wood and other new recruits strut their stuff when Premier League football finally gets underway next month.

The Saints are unlikely to be done there with their business this hectic off-season, however, as a statement buy looks to be in the works by Russell Martin’s men.

Southampton planning record swoop of Celtic gem

It’s looking more and more unlikely by the minute that Celtic will be able to keep Matt O’Riley in Glasgow past this summer, with the 23-year-old admired by many different suitors.

Southampton are named as being one interested party willing to battle it out for the Danish gem, as per Scottish outlet the Daily Record, alongside the likes of Juventus, Inter Milan and other European giants.

It will still take a mammoth bid for the Hoops to consider parting ways with their electric star, with the Daily Record further stating that a Scottish record fee will be needed to get a bumper deal over the line.

That record currently stands at £25m – which Celtic managed to win when the likes of Kieran Tierney and Jota moved on from Celtic Park – and they will be holding out for a similarly excessive amount for their star number 38.

What O’Riley will offer Southampton

Scoring goals for fun over his two impactful years in Scotland to date, this ambitious swoop could see the Saints win their best midfield talent since letting go of James Ward-Prowse, with O’Riley also potentially striking up a fine partnership in the centre of the pitch with Downes along the way.

Much like Ward-Prowse, who garnered a reputation for being a player who wouldn’t shirk the spotlight in tense games at St. Mary’s, O’Riley has been a consistent performer for Celtic since moving up there two years ago, after making a name for himself in the EFL with Milton Keynes Dons.

Martin will be very much going after the highly-rated midfielder based on his electric goalscoring numbers too, with the on-fire 23-year-old bagging 19 goals last season in all competitions for Brendan Rodgers’ men, on top of amassing an equally impressive assist haul overall of 18.

O’Riley sweeps the floor with the former Saints icon when it comes to his numbers for Celtic last campaign against Ward-Prowse’s output from his swansong Southampton season, but there’s no guarantee that the ex-MK Dons man can shine in the same devastating fashion in the Premier League week in week out.

Martin will have his fingers crossed that he can take to his new surroundings like a duck to water, with the license there for him to attack freely, partnered next to a steady head in Downes.

Downes very rarely put a foot wrong last campaign in the Championship for Southampton, bowing out from the regular season with an unerring 93% pass accuracy averaged per contest, and should be able to set up O’Riley for a number of chances in the top-flight.

There will be some trepidation from Southampton’s end on how they will manage to compete with the top dogs again, but with signings such as O’Riley in the pipeline, the Saints will aim to unsettle the elite division and stay put.