Celtic transfer news bulletin as defiant Matt O'Riley price tag 'set' while Carl Starfelt return path cleared

Atalanta have reportedly been told they must stump up a mega-money offer to tempt Celtic into selling Matt O'Riley this summer.

Record Sport revealed that the Europa League winners were in the chase for the Danish international - with reports in Italy claiming that a €15m (£12.7m) offer has already been knocked back by the Scottish Premiership champions. It is understood that Southampton have readied an offer of £20m plus incentives for the midfielder - who has earned admiring glances from across the continent with Inter and Atletico long-term admirers of the 23-year-old.

But Celtic appear in no rush to sell the player who is under contract until 2027 with a Scottish Premiership title defence and Champions League campaign just around the corner. Gazetta dello Sport claims that the Serie A suitors have been told that Celtic "want much more" and suitors must stump up at least €25m (£23.7m) to bring the Hoops to the negotiating table.

Should O'Riley leave Glasgow's east end, one man who Celtic could look to replace him with is Paulo Bernardo. The club remain locked in talks over bringing the 22-year-old back from Benfica after a successful loan spell last term.

However, former Parkhead hero Mark Wilson reckons it will tough for the Portuguese midfielder to fill the void. He told Clyde 1 Superscoreboard: “I’d find it hard for him to replicate the season O’Riley’s had; I thought that was an extraordinary season from Matt O’Riley, especially when you factor in it was a change of manager as well.

“Brendan Rodgers coming in, different ideas. O’Riley seemed to flourish; he played well under Ange Postecoglou, but he seemed to flourish under Rodgers. He got into the box more frequently, but the argument would be, could Brendan