With Scotland off to a disappointing start at Euro 2024, Celtic and Rangers will already be ramping up their preparations for next season, with club chiefs at both clubs charged with putting together efficient transfer operations.
As usual, with Champions League football to look forward to next season, the Bhoys will have the bigger budget to call upon, but Rangers still need to close the gap after a disappointing finish to last season. In the meantime, we have rounded up all the latest news surrounding the two clubs.
O’Riley latest
Celtic have reportedly upped their asking price for star midfielder Matt O’Riley amid reported interest from Atletico Madrid this summer. O’Riley, who missed out on Denmark’s Euro 2024 squad, has attracted interest from Atletico at various stages in the past, and the Spanish club are said to be likely to push harder for a deal ahead of next season.
According to Diario AS, Celtic will demand as much as £33.7million for their standout midfielder this summer, and that means Atleti cannot pull off a deal unless they can offload former Chelsea loanee Saul Niguez. Asked about links with Atleti in the past, O’Riley has said: “If I’m being completely honest, the first two or three games after the transfer window mentally it was a slight challenge because I felt somewhat a bit of added pressure on my shoulders, just slightly.
“But then I realised I didn’t really know why I was putting extra pressure on myself. I didn’t really need to change anything. I kind of came away from that and focused on what I bring to the team it clicked back into place again. Each season, regardless of it going well it will still pose a different challenge. Of course, bids are great but it could still potentially be a negative thing if you don’t see it from the right way as well so another thing to learn going forwards.”
Fresh Barron bid
Aberdeen star Connor Barron is subject to an improved offer from Rangers, according to the Daily Record. Barron, who is soon to be out of contract, has been linked with a number of clubs, including Cardiff City, Swansea City, Stoke City and others.
It’s now being claimed the Gers have made an improved offer in a bid to land the experienced 21-year-old midfielder. Barron has already racked up 59 league appearances for the Dons, and given he is available for only a compensation fee of around £500,000, the youngster will prove a steal this summer.
Barrow has already spoken about his love for European football, which may give Rangers an advantage over the interested Championship clubs. He said back in November: “The European stage is where you want to be playing. It has been brilliant for me to be able to say I have been at that level. But I want to come back and do it again and it’s now about us getting back to where we want to be by making sure we are back in Europe.
“The way we have played in Europe this season shows we have to take confidence in our performances. It’s something we should be proud of coming up against the teams we have played and producing good displays. Yes we are disappointed not to have qualified, but that says it all. We know we will get to where we want to be, come the end of the season, but it’s just going to take time. I really believe we will kick on.”