, ‘Fantastic player’ – Swansea City boss Russell Martin reveals admiration for MK Dons midfield star Matt O’Riley

‘Fantastic player’ – Swansea City boss Russell Martin reveals admiration for MK Dons midfield star Matt O’Riley

Swansea City boss Russell Martin has moved to heap praise on MK Dons midfielder Matt O’Riley, though insisted it will take a “certain level of investment” to sign him.

O’Riley, 21, has been a standout player for MK Dons this season.

As a result, his performances have seen him linked with a move away. Swansea City, now managed by former MK Dons boss Martin, are among those said to be keen, while Middlesbrough and Bournemouth were linked at the end of December (Sky Sports Transfer Centre, 31.12.21, 15:16).

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Now, amid Swansea’s links with O’Riley, Martin has now moved to address the speculation.

As quoted by Wales Online, the Swans boss revealed his admiration for the former Fulham talent, labelling him as a “fantastic player”. However, he insisted that it would take a “certain level of investment” to bring him in.

Here’s what he had to say on the matter:

“Matt O’Riley is a fantastic player but he’s an MK Dons player.

“He would be a permanent addition that would take a certain level of investment for him to become a player away from MK Dons.

“Before we do any business, especially permanently, it will take investment coming in. The club is in a very different position financially than it has been for the last, however long, and we have to respect that and make sure that we’re planning accordingly.

, ‘Fantastic player’ – Swansea City boss Russell Martin reveals admiration for MK Dons midfield star Matt O’Riley

“But I don’t want to comment on any individual players. He’s a guy I’ve got a lot of respect for as a player and a person.

“I wish him nothing but success in his career. He’s having a fantastic season and lucky for MK Dons they have a player with so much ability.”

A perfect fit?

Given that O’Riley has played under Martin before, he would know exactly what’s expected of him from the get-go.

His goal threat and creativity have made him a standout midfielder in League One this season. The former England youth international possesses a wide range of passing, averaging 2.2 key passes per game and a rate of 86.2% pass completion per game. His leadership qualities have been on show too, captaining MK Dons on a number of occasions.

However, as Martin said, it would take a “certain level” of investment to recruit him this month, and Swansea haven’t got the money to throw around as it stands.

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