Richard Keys slams decision to play Newcastle United v Bournemouth and others before Queen’s funeral

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Celtic midfielder Matt O’Riley claims that Newcastle United were interested in signing him this summer.

Celtic midfielder confirms Newcastle United interest

Celtic midfielder Matt O’Riley has suggested that Premier League clubs Newcastle United and Leicester City showed interest in signing him this summer.

The 21-year-old has impressed in the Scottish Premiership since moving from Milton Keynes Dons in January 2022 as he helped Celtic reclaim the league title. O’Riley has represented England at Under-16s and Under-18s level but switched allegiances to Denmark at Under-21s level.

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St James's Park, Newcastle (Photo by LINDSEY PARNABY/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)St James's Park, Newcastle (Photo by LINDSEY PARNABY/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
St James's Park, Newcastle (Photo by LINDSEY PARNABY/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

And when speaking to Danish outlet Tipsbladet, he confirmed interest from Premier League clubs.

“I know Leicester showed a lot of interest in me, and I think Newcastle was there too,” O’Riley said. “But it wasn’t a matter of any of them making a bid. If there’s no bid, it’s not very concrete in my head.

“I didn’t really think about it because nobody from Celtic told me that, for example, Newcastle had made a bid. It wasn’t like that, so there wasn’t much to think about, and a lot is written in the media as well.”

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Italian giants Inter Milan are reportedly willing to accept offers for Turkish midfielder Hakan Calhanoglu in January.

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According to reports in Italy, Newcastle United were one of several clubs interested in the 28-year-old over the summer with InterLive reporting that they made a move for the player on deadline day.

Although Newcastle were in the market for a midfielder, their deadline day proved to be a quiet one in terms of incomings with the club reluctant to overspend further following the arrival of Alexander Isak for a club record fee of £60million.

According to Calciomercato in Italy, Inter would be willing to let Calhanoglu leave in January for as little as £26million. He signed for Inter on a free from rivals AC Milan last summer and has since scored nine goals in 53 appearances for I Nerazzurri.

Richard Keys objects to Premier League fixtures resuming this weekend

Former Sky Sports presenter Richard Keys has hit out at the decision to allow Premier League fixtures to resume this weekend ahead of Elizabeth II’s funeral on Monday, September 19.

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Keys was critical of sports such as cricket and rugby that played on last weekend whilst Premier League fixtures such as Newcastle United's trip to West Ham United were postponed.

Newcastle are set to host Bournemouth at St James's Park this weekend.

"I’m beginning to think we should cancel football this weekend as well," he said. "Those that wanted to play last weekend were perhaps in shock and didn’t understand the enormity of what had happened.

"There certainly can’t be any doubt now. Never mind about ‘fitting them in’. Deal with that later.

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"Of course football made the correct decision to postpone games following the Queen’s death. In my view - the entire sporting world should’ve stopped to pay respects.

"Why did cricket play on? And golf? Why was there horse racing? Was it because those sports had no insurance to cover cancellations?

"If that’s true what a sorry state of affairs. They played on because financially they couldn’t afford not to? Never mind that we’d all just witnessed a once-in-a-lifetime event of enormous magnitude?”

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