Celtic could get Matt O'Riley 2.0 if they seal Bristol City transfer: View | OneFootball

Bristol City striker Tommy Conway has been the subject of increasing transfer interest in recent months.

Conway came through the Robins' academy, and after spending time out on loan with Yate Town and Bath City, he broke into the club's first team last season.

The 21-year-old scored an impressive 12 goals and provided four assists in 38 games last term, and after missing the start of this season with a hamstring injury, he has been in fine form since his return in September, scoring eight goals in 30 appearances so far.

After scoring the goal to earn his side a replay in the first game at the London Stadium, Conway netted the winner in the 1-0 victory over Premier League side West Ham United at Ashton Gate in the FA Cup last month, further raising his profile.

According to Football Insider, Celtic, Rangers, Nottingham Forest, Brentford and Wolverhampton Wanderers were all keeping tabs on Conway in January, but he remained at Ashton Gate, and Liam Manning will be delighted to have kept hold of the striker as he looks to guide his side into the play-offs this season.

It was a disappointing afternoon for the Robins as they were beaten 1-0 at home by Queens Park Rangers on Saturday, leaving them 12th in the table, but they are just seven points from the play-off places, and a late push for the top six cannot be ruled out.

Should Conway maintain his form until the end of the season, he is likely to be in demand once again in the summer, and Celtic should reignite their interest in the striker.

Celtic should look to repeat Matt O'Riley success with Tommy Conway

It has been a tough few weeks for Celtic, and after being held to a 1-1 draw at home by Kilmarnock on Saturday, they were replaced at the top of the Scottish Premiership by Rangers.

Pressure is increasing on Hoops manager Brendan Rodgers, and while it remains to be seen whether the Northern Irishman will still be in charge by the summer, Conway should be on the club's list of targets regardless of who the manager is.

Celtic have had success recruiting from the EFL previously, most notably with midfielder Matt O'Riley.

O'Riley joined the Hoops from Milton Keynes Dons in January 2022, and he has gone on to score 18 goals and provide 28 assists in 106 appearances in all competitions so far.

The 23-year-old has helped Celtic to five trophies during his time at the club, including back-to-back Scottish Premiership titles, and he made his senior debut for Denmark at international level against Northern Ireland in November.

Celtic rejected bids for O'Riley from Leeds United and Bologna in the summer before he put pen-to-paper on a new four-year contract with the club in September, and while he will be staying in Glasgow for now, he is likely to be sold for a significant transfer fee in the future.

Like O'Riley, Conway is a player with huge potential, and the striker could make a similar impact for the Hoops on the pitch and bring in a sizeable sell-on fee, so he would be a shrewd investment for the club.

It would be a no-brainer for Celtic to complete a deal for Conway if they can meet his valuation, and the striker is a Scotland U21 international, so he could be open to a move north of the border to accelerate his progression into the senior squad.

However, Bristol City would likely demand a big fee for Conway, and with his contract set to expire in the summer of 2025, technical director Brian Tinnion revealed the club are keen to tie him down to an extension.

"Tommy Conway has a year in the summer and we need to try and get him tied down, and we’ll work really hard on that,"Tinnion told BBC Radio Bristol. "But apart from Tommy and the three lads, we have everyone contracted in a really stable squad.

"We’ve had the conversations with the agent and (we want) to have those conversations, and with Tommy, again. We want Tommy Conway contracted to the football club. He’s a fantastic person, he’s a fantastic player, he’s a goalscorer and he’s really important to us, so we’ll be working really hard from now to get Tommy contracted to the football club."

It could be tough for Celtic to win the race for Conway, but they should do everything possible to bring him to Celtic Park.