Middlesbrough man might have big Celtic regret after £25m summer move confirmed: View

After failing to acquire Riley McGree in January 2022, Celtic focused on Matt O’Riley, a midfielder for MK Dons.

With the benefit of hindsight, it’s reasonable to conclude that the Scottish champions had a very happy ending.

Although we are unsure of McGree’s performance in Glasgow, he would have found it difficult to compete with O’Riley, who took home three league titles, two Scottish Cups, and a League Cup.

But it wasn’t just about the trophies; during his time at Celtic Park, especially under Brendan Rodgers, O’Riley captivated the crowd with some incredible goals and displayed impressive technical ability.

Matt O’Riley moves to the Premier League
O’Riley’s departure from Celtic this summer seemed inevitable given his talent, and Brighton’s acquisition of the Denmark international for a record-breaking £25 million marked the end of the player’s Scottish club career.

O’Riley’s Premier League debut for the Seagulls has been postponed due to injury, but it is anticipated that he will play a significant role for the team in the years to come.

Riley McGree must be reflecting on Celtic’s rejection at this time.

Considering that, McGree probably pondered over the possible outcomes if he had decided to join Celtic.

The Australian has steadfastly stated that he does not regret declining the Glasgow giants, but it is only normal to speculate about what might have been.

McGree first defended his choice by saying that he wanted to play in the Premier League and that his goal was and still is to play for Middlesbrough in the top division.

But in actuality, O’Riley’s Celtic performances allowed him to get there before McGree.

In the past, players who wish to enter the Premier League have found success with Celtic. Those who went before O’Riley in that direction include Stan Petrov, Virgil van Dijk, Kieran Tierney, and Odsonne Edouard.

While we can’t be certain of McGree’s performance with Celtic, working with Ange Postecoglou and later Rodgers would have undoubtedly improved his game.

His profile would have increased by participating in the Champions League, and the former Birmingham City player might have benefited greatly from the opportunity to thrive in a team that prioritises attack.

With Middlesbrough, Riley McGree can still pursue his dream of playing in the Premier League.
But McGree’s future is not entirely bleak; he plays for a very talented team and is managed by Michael Carrick, who many feel is destined for greatness.
Boro has had a respectable start to the season despite missing out on the injured McGree in recent weeks. The team appears to be in good shape thanks to some wise additions made towards the end of the transfer window.

Everyone associated with the Teesside outfit has a clear goal in mind: promotion. The group is hungry to achieve this goal.

McGree’s sole attention will be on that, and the Celtic transfer decision has been made as far as he’s concerned, but reaching the Premier League sooner rather than later will end any thoughts of what might have been.