Celtic beat off competition from Premier League and English Championship clubs to complete the signing of Matt O'Riley, according to journalist Michael Bridge.

The Lowdown: O'Riley joins Celtic

The 21-year-old made the move to Parkhead in the January transfer window, joining on a permanent deal from League One side MK Dons.

O'Riley was seen as an exciting young signing and he has made an immediate impression for Celtic, showcasing his quality across seven Premiership appearances.

The attacking midfielder has already scored once and registered three assists in the top flight, suggesting that he is going to be a key figure for the Hoops in the title race.

The Latest: Journalist makes O'Riley transfer claim

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Bridge claimed that Celtic managed to snap up O'Riley despite interest from not only Championship clubs in England but also some in the Premier League.

The journalist outlined: "Matt O’Riley, a few eyebrows were raised there because some Premier League and Championship clubs were looking at him, and all of a sudden, Celtic won the race."

The Verdict: Signal of intent

Given the lure of the Premier League for any player, especially already one lower down in the English leagues, the Hoops' capture of O'Riley has to be deemed a real coup.

That he opted to move north of the border instead says a lot about the continued prestige of Celtic as a club and shows that they can still entice precocious talents to Parkhead.

O'Riley could look an increasingly shrewd piece of business as the weeks and months pass, with his average of 3.1 key passes per game only bettered by Ryan Christie (four) and David Turnbull (4.1) at Celtic this season.

In other news, three Celtic players struggled in the 0-0 draw with Hibernian. Find out who they are here.