Brendan Rodgers has already spoken out on Matt O'Riley transfer as Liverpool linked with move

Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers has already insisted he is "not losing sleep" over the possibility of losing Matt O'Riley . But those comments came before reports of interest that his old club Liverpool could be in the mix for a transfer.

Liverpool has been credited with an interest in O'Riley , the free-scoring midfielder who joined Celtic from MK Dons in January 2022. Rudy Galetti claims that Arne Slot's side is among those keeping tabs on the situation, with Atalanta having made the first move.

Rodgers, of course, managed at Anfield between 2012 and 2015, being succeeded by Jurgen Klopp . He would go on to have a massively successful spell at Celtic, and returned to Scotland in 2023 after a spell with Leicester City.

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O'Riley was among the players he inherited, and the midfielder has blossomed under his watch. The 23-year-old just enjoyed his best season in terms of output, posting an impressive 18 goals and 13 assists in the league.

Naturally, that has sparked transfer interest. Back in May, Inter Milan and Atletico Madrid were among the clubs being mentioned, along with two unnamed big-six Premier League suitors.

Addressing these rumors, Rodgers took a firm line. He insisted Celtic had no need to sell: "No, not at all, [we don't need to consider a sale]" said Rodgers, via the Celtic Way . "We don't have to sell. We are not in a position to do that.

"But of course, if there is something that comes in then, like it happens at Celtic, it will always be looked at. There is not a need to sell.

"Matt has had an absolutely brilliant season for us and it is great testament to his professionalism and how he has developed as a football player. Then naturally, those players will attract attention.

"If you have done well, and done well at a club of this status and pressure then naturally the attention will come. But it is not something I lose sleep about."

Whether the allure of Liverpool changes that remains to be seen. The Reds have supposedly been tracking O'Riley for a long time, having been linked two summers ago , just six months into his stint at Celtic.

For his part, Rodgers is once again enjoying success north of the border. He completed the league and cup double last season.

Liverpool.com says: Rodgers might be getting a call from a familiar number at some point... Celtic may not need to sell, but as he admitted, it's a club that will always listen to proposals. And there's a lot for Liverpool to like about O'Riley.

The one real question mark is whether Liverpool needs another outright central midfielder. There's potentially a requirement for a specialist in the holding role, but that certainly isn't O'Riley.