Celtic have reportedly accepted Brighton and Hove Albion’s offer of £25m plus £5m in bonuses for midfielder Matt O’Riley. The move will set a new record transfer fee received by a Scottish club which currently stands at £25m.
Matt O’Riley, 23, moved to Celtic from MK Dons in January 2022 for £1.5m and has been a revelation in the Scottish Premiership. The central midfielder scored 19 goals and supplied 18 assists across all competitions last season as the Hoops won a domestic double—Scottish Premiership title and the Scottish Cup.
Celtic had previously rejected five bids from Atalanta for the Denmark international. They had also knocked back an offer from Atletico Madrid in January. However, Brighton’s offer was too good to turn down, with O’Riley set to leave Parkhead after excellent two and a half years. The 23-year-old will become the Seagulls’ latest addition in a busy transfer window under new manager Fabian Hurzeler, joining recent recruits Georginio Rutter and Brajan Gruda.
Matt O’Riley would be a sensational signing for Brighton
Since arriving at Celtic, O’Riley has improved leaps and bounds and become one of the most exciting midfielders in the Scottish Premiership. For a central midfielder, his numbers at Celtic Park are exceptional.
The two-cap Denmark international is an all-action midfielder; he can pass the ball well, break up play, create chances, make assists and score goals. Not only does he create big chances for his teammates, the 23-year-old scores goals in equal measure and has won major honours with Celtic.
So, he has the winning mentality that could rub off on Brighton players who want to break into European competition under Fabian Hurzeler, who has enjoyed a great start to life in the Premier League with back-to-back wins over Everton and Manchester United. O’Riley will bring energy, flair, creativity and goals from the middle of the park while raising the overall quality of the Seagulls squad.
For Brighton, getting a player of his quality, versatility and winning mentality for an overall package of just £30m is a coup of sorts. Under the guidance of the highly-rated Hurzeler, O’Riley could take his game to the next level and dazzle in the Premier League for years to come.
I am Rohan Sengupta from one of the busiest cities in India, Mumbai. A Journalism graduate with a keen interest in sports, football is something I simply cannot live without and writing, discussing and analyzing the game is what I do 24*7.
