Celtic star who left in 2021 is now worth more than Matt O'Riley

Celtic star who left in 2021 is now worth more than Matt O’Riley

Celtic went through the January transfer window without losing any of their key first-team players to European clubs, which should have come as a welcome relief to Brendan Rodgers.

The Northern Irish head coach rejoined the club for a second spell in Glasgow last summer and was hit with two blows as Jota and Carl Starfelt moved on to Al Ittihad and Celta Vigo in Saudi Arabia and Spain respectively.

Selling important stars is nothing new for the Hoops, of course, as the likes of Odsonne Edouard, Moussa Dembele, Virgil van Dijk, Fraser Forster, and Victor Wanyama have all been moved on to European sides over the years.

They were, however, able to retain the services of the likes of Matt O’Riley, Kyogo Furuhashi, and Cameron Carter-Vickers, among others, last month.

One star sale the club did once have a nightmare with was Ryan Christie’s move to Bournemouth, as his value has soared – higher than O’Riley’s – over the subsequent years.

How much Bournemouth paid for Ryan Christie

The Cherries swooped in to sign the Scotland international from Celtic in the summer of 2021 for a reported fee of £2.5m, as they aimed to win promotion from the Championship.

Sky Sports claimed that Scott Parker’s side fought off competition from Premier League outfit Burnley to secure his services for the 2021/22 campaign and beyond.

Bournemouth snapped the talented midfielder up after he had enjoyed an excellent spell with the Hoops as a versatile attacking option for the club.

Christie chipped in with 41 goals and 44 assists in 151 appearances in all competitions for the Bhoys, which shows that he provided quality as both a scorer and a creator of goals.

The former Inverness star spent the majority of his Celtic career in an attacking midfield position but was also deployed on the right and left flanks at times.

He was a regular starter for Neil Lennon during the 2020/21 campaign and caught the eye with five goals and nine assists in 26 Scottish Premiership starts.

20/21 Premiership

Ryan Christie

Appearances

34

Sofascore rating

7.27

Goals

Five

Big chances created

Eight

Assists

Nine

Dribble success rate

55%

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Christie maintained an impressive performance level in midfield for Celtic with his ability to score and create goals, whilst also being an efficient dribbler who could take opposition players on to push his team up the pitch.

His superb displays in the Scottish top-flight for the Hoops were enough to convince Burnley and Bournemouth to battle it out for his signature at the end of the campaign.

However, the Bhoys only received a fee of £2.5m for his services, as his contract was due to expire the following summer, and his value has soared since that move away from Parkhead.

Ryan Christie’s current market value

At the time of writing (27/02/2024), FootballTransfers have placed his Expected Transfer Value (xTV) at a whopping €12.7m (£10.9m), which is significantly more than the £2.5m Celtic raked in for him.

Christie, who was hailed as “top-class” by Parker, has been a fantastic signing for the Cherries over the years. His first season with the club was a huge success as he played a pivotal role in their promotion to the Premier League.

The Scottish whiz started 36 of their 46 Championship matches and produced three goals, eight assists, and ten ‘big chances’ created for his teammates.

He showcased his quality at the top end of the pitch with his ability to split open opposition defences to create opportunities for his fellow attackers.

Christie then featured in 32 Premier League matches for Gary O’Neil during the 2022/23 campaign as Bournemouth avoided relegation back down to the second tier.

This season, the 29-year-old gem has been in terrific form in the top-flight of English football and showcased his quality both in and out of possession.

23/24 Premier League

Ryan Christie

Starts

24

Assists

Two

Big chances created

Seven

Tackles per game

2.2

Interceptions per game

1.3

Dribbles completed per game

1.4

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the left-footed midfielder could be frustrated with his teammates as they have only rewarded him with two assists from the seven ‘big chances’ that he has created.

Christie also ranks first and second within the Bournemouth squad for tackles and interceptions per game respectively, which speaks to how impressive and important his defensive work has been in the Premier League this season.

Matt O’Riley’s current market value

Meanwhile, current Celtic star O’Riley has an xTV of €12.2m (£10.4m) on FootballTransfers, which is €500k less than Christie’s current value in England and further shows that the club had a mare with the sale of the Scotland international.

The Denmark international’s fantastic form for the Scottish giants in the Premiership so far this season under Rodgers, and his impressive displays for Ange Postecoglou last term, illustrates why the Bournemouth star’s higher value is particularly impressive.

The former Fulham prospect produced three goals and 12 assists in 38 league outings for the Australian coach during the 2022/23 campaign, as he showcased his creative quality on a regular basis by splitting open opposition defences to set his fellow attackers up week-in-week-out.

This time around, O’Riley has been a well-rounded attacking threat as both a scorer and a creator of goals from a midfield position, as you can see in the table below.

23/24 Premiership

Matt O’Riley

Appearances

26

Goals

Ten

Assists

Seven

Big chances created

Six

Key passes per game

2.2

Stats via Sofascore

No Hoops player has scored as many league goals as the Danish magician this season, with Kyogo Furuhashi behind him on nine, and only Luis Palma (nine) has provided more assists.

These statistics show that the left-footed wizard has been a fantastic operator for Rodgers in the final third, as he has the ability to be a match-winner for the club with his attacking skills.

Celtic reportedly rejected a £10m offer from Leeds United in England last summer, and he is a player they may do well to keep hold of ahead of the 2024/25 campaign.

Hopefully, if they do decide to part ways with him, the Hoops will rake in more than £2.5m for the talented maestro and will not, as may be the case with Christie, watch on with regret as his value soars elsewhere.