Sport
THROW BACK; Outstanding £25 million Deal for a STAR Mid-fielder
Brighton & Hove Albion have completed the signing of Matt O’Riley, the talented midfielder from Celtic, for a significant fee of £25 million. Born in London but eligible to play for Denmark through his mother, O’Riley has penned a five-year deal with the Seagulls, committing his future to the club until June 2029.
The 23-year-old has made a name for himself at Celtic, finding the net 27 times in 124 appearances and helping the Scottish side secure six trophies, including three Scottish Premiership titles. “I’m very, very happy,” O’Riley expressed in an interview featured on Brighton’s website. “It got a little bit stressful over the last couple of weeks, if I’m being honest, because I think the talks were ongoing for a good couple of months but I’m just really happy to be here now.”
This transfer equals the Scottish record fee received by Celtic, matching the £25 million Al-Ittihad paid for Jota last summer and the amount Arsenal shelled out for Kieran Tierney back in 2019. Celtic, who signed O’Riley from MK Dons in 2022 for a reported £1.5 million, have made a substantial profit on their initial investment.
Reflecting on his time in Scotland, O’Riley said: “It is hard. People probably don’t realise how big the club is until you get up there. It’s a real family club and one that I was made to feel welcome at very early on. It’s a very unique place just in terms of the passion the fans had, [it] is something I had never experienced before. I thoroughly enjoyed my time there. It is still a little bit emotional speaking about it because I had such good memories there, but it just felt like the right time for a new challenge for me.”
Brighton manager Fabian Hurzeler is confident that O’Riley’s addition will bolster the team’s midfield capabilities. Known for his box-to-box prowess, O’Riley brings a blend of technical ability, vision, and work rate. Hurzeler highlighted these attributes, stating, “He is a great character, and has a good ambition to succeed and that’s something which is very important for us.”
O’Riley’s arrival marks the seventh addition to Brighton’s squad this summer, showcasing the club’s ambitious transfer strategy. Earlier signings include a record-breaking £40 million deal for French forward Georginio Rutter from Leeds and a £25.5 million move for Dutch midfielder Mats Wieffer from Feyenoord.
