Everton officially confirm third summer signing and ‘hold talks’ over Celtic star

Everton are among five Premier League clubs reportedly ‘in talks’ over a deal for Celtic midfielder Matt O’Riley and the Scottish giants are demanding a big fee.

The Danish international joined Celtic from MK Dons in January 2022 and has come on leaps and bounds in Scotland, catching the attention of several sides.

Catch the Euros from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN for less than £6 a month

O’Riley has made 121 appearances to date for the Hoops, scoring 27 goals and making 34 assists in the process, and is reportedly ready for the next challenge in his career.

According to journalist Graeme Bailey of HITC, Everton, Southampton, West Ham, Fulham and Brentford have all held talks over a deal for O’Riley in recent weeks.

Celtic are ‘holding out for £30m for the midfielder,’ which would make him their all-time most expensive sale. That title is currently held by Jota, who joined Saudi club Al-Ittihad for £25m last summer.

Southampton have reportedly made a £20m bid for O’Riley, which hasn’t been accepted by Celtic as it doesn’t meet their demands.

It will be interesting to see how high the 23-year-old’s suitors with offers in the coming weeks. It’s likely Everton will have to sell Amadou Onana before making a concrete offer for O’Riley.