Chelsea eye Celtic star as replacement for Blues ace 'set to leave' as ex-Rangers man has Ibrox transfer wish

Chelsea have reportedly joined a number of clubs from across Europe in the race to sign Celtic star Matt O’Riley.

The Denmark international has enjoyed an overwhelmingly positive two-and-a-half year stay with the Premiership champions after joining the Hoops from MK Dons in a £1m deal during the January 2022 transfer window. As well as scoring 27 goals and providing 34 assists in 121 appearances, O’Riley has become a three time Premiership champions, lifted the Scottish Cup on two occasions and was part of the Celtic side that won the League Cup with a 2-1 win over Rangers in February 2023.

His performances have attracted attention from a number of clubs and there were suggestions Spanish giants Atletico Madrid failed with a loan-to-buy bid for O’Riley earlier this summer amid suggestions Celtic were asking for more than the £17m offer that would have converted that temporary move into a permanent switch.

Europa League winners Atalanta have also been linked with O’Riley but the majority of interest has come from the English Premier League after the likes of Newcastle United, Brighton and Hove Albion and Crystal Palace were all said to have watched the midfielder in action.

The Scottish Sun has now revealed Chelsea have joined O’Riley’s ‘growing list of admirers’ after the Denmark star scored against the Blues in a pre-season friendly in the United States last week. Enzo Maresca is said to view the midfielder as a possible replacement for England international Conor Gallagher, who is ‘set to leave’ amid interest from Atletico Madrid and Aston Villa.

However, Southampton believe they have an edge in the race to sign O’Riley as manager Russell Martin has a ‘special relationship’ with the Celtic star after they worked together at MK Dons.

Former Rangers star ‘dreams’ of Ibrox return

John Fleck is aiming to ‘carve out something special’ during the remainder of his career and admitted a return to Rangers would be a dream.

The five-times capped Scotland international is currently a free agent after leaving English Championship club Blackburn Rovers earlier this summer and is keeping himself fit by training at Auchenhowie. That comes over 12 years after Fleck left Rangers to join Coventry City on a free transfer after making over 50 appearances for his boyhood club. The attacking midfielder revealed he has ‘offers’ from clubs in England and around Europe - but revealed he dreams of a return to Rangers and described the Ibrox club as ‘engrained in his heart’.

He told The Daily Record:  “Do I have unfinished business with the club? That’s not for me to say. My aim now is carve out something special in my career and there are options, I have offers in Europe and England and I now need to find the right club to kick things on. I’ve always said it would be a dream of mine to come back to Rangers and nothing changes in that regard. I said that If that chance came further down the line to come back then I’d love it to be honest. Who wouldn’t. This is Glasgow Rangers we are talking about, a club which is engrained in my heart.”