Having signed seven players already this summer, Southampton are now prepared to really loosen the pursestrings to secure a ‘top target’.
Russell Martin has welcomed two of last season’s standout loanees back to Southampton permanently this summer with the signings of Taylor Harwood-Bellis and Flynn Downes.
Those two players arrived for £20 million and £18 million respectively but, those deals aside, Southampton have been making relatively cheap signings in astute moves for a number of players.
Adam Lallana and Charlie Taylor both arrived for free, whilst highly-rated EFL duo Ronnie Edwards and Nathan Wood were signed for £3 million each.
Right-back Yukinari Sugawara arrived for £5.88 million and impressed on his debut as he scored in the 7-1 friendly won over Eastleigh on Friday night.
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Now, Martin looks set to sanction a big money move for a player he has worked with previously that would represent a record-breaking deal.
Southampton willing to ‘eclipse’ transfer record to sign Matt O’Riley from Celtic
With five of the seven Southampton signings so far being defenders and one being Downes – a holding midfielder – it now looks as though Martin is shifting his focus to more attacking players.
That has seen the Saints make a surprise bid for 21-year-old Crystal Palace winger Jerusun Rak-Sakyi and they now look set to follow that up with an improved offer for Celtic attacking midfielder Matt O’Riley.
Earlier this summer, Southampton tested the waters with a £20 million move for the player Martin managed in his first job at MK Dons.
That was rejected and Southampton have now been told they will have to pay a Scottish transfer record fee to sign O’Riley.
That is according to Sunday’s edition of The Mirror (p. 74), which reports that ‘Russell Martin is keen for a reunion with O’Riley’ and the ‘£30 million-rated Dane is attracting strong attention with Brighton also showing interest along with clubs from the continent’.
The wealth of interest in their asset means Celtic can demand a large fee, but the report goes on to say that ‘Martin is set to push the boat out to add to his midfield options’ with O’Riley his ‘top-target’.
It also states that the Saints will ‘have to eclipse the £25 million that Arsenal paid Celtic for Kieran Tierney five years ago’.
Not only would this be a record fee for a transfer from Scotland, it would also break Southampton’s own transfer record which is currently the £22 million they paid for Kamaldeen Sulemana in January 2023.
O’Riley would be significant Stuart Armstrong upgrade for Southampton
It is likely that Martin would have been looking to sign a new attacking midfielder this summer regardless, but Stuart Armstrong’s departure has meant that is now absolutely necessary.
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Armstrong was crucial to Southampton achieving promotion last season but has seen his six years at the club come to an end following the expiry of his contract at the end of June.
A popular player, Armstrong will be missed but, given he is 32, Southampton knew they would need to replace the Scot – who played as a trialist for Brentford on Saturday – sooner or later.
O’Riley looks as though he is the player Southampton feel could be the creative spark to keep them in the Premier League next season and that is no surprise given the 23-year-old scored 19 and assisted 18 in all competitions for Celtic last season.
Martin wants O’Riley to be his marquee signing this summer and Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers has been full of praise for the player who has scored three goals in two pre-season games amid the intense transfer speculation.
Speaking after O’Riley’s brace helped Celtic to a 4-0 won over DC United on Saturday night, Rodgers said: “His (O’Riley’s) attitude has been first class”
“There’s absolutely been no change in Matt’s demeanor. I think he knows the privileges of playing for Celtic and he knows what Celtic has given him.
“It’s not a burden for him to be at Celtic, he has developed into a fantastic player.”
If Southampton can beat the competition to O’Riley’s signature this summer, Martin will be a very happy man.