Matt O’Riley is the focus of an early transfer story this summer as his stay at Brighton looks like being for one season only as speculation grows of a summer move for the former Celtic midfielder…
O’Riley’s time at Brighton has been stop start to say the least, with an early injury picked up on his debut against Crawley Town in the League Cup sidelining him for the first four months of the season.
The former Celtic favourite made a notable return by scoring a late winner for Brighton against Manchester City on his Premier League debut.
However, consistent playing time has been elusive, with only 12 starts across all competitions. Competition from midfielders like Carlos Baleba and Diego Gómez has limited his opportunities. He did start six of Brighton’s final eight matches, scoring in a 4–1 victory over Tottenham Hotspur, but questions about his role under manager Fabian Hürzeler persist.
Now his future at Brighton & Hove Albion is under scrutiny, less than a year after his record-breaking £25 million transfer from Celtic in August 2024. Despite high expectations, his inaugural season in the Premier League has been challenging but when he’s played O’Riley has looked a stand-out performer and certainly has his admirers, including David Moyes, now back ‘home’ as Everton manager.
And it looks like, according to Sky Sports, the former Celtic full-back has thrown his club’s name into the growing list of teams keen on bringing in the Denmark international this summer, giving a tantalising prospect of a second summer windfall for Celtic after £5.5m was secured after former Celt Jeremie Frimpong made the long anticipated move from Bayer Leverkusen to Liverpool.
Now Celtic could collect a second Merseyside windfall if Moyes wins the race for the former Celtic man.
Everton are keen on signing Brighton midfielder Matt O’Riley if Brighton sanction a move but expect to face competition from other European clubs 🚨 pic.twitter.com/Yuvj8Z2vCx
— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) June 2, 2025
The good news for Celtic’s moneymen is that interest in O’Riley is clearly growing, with clubs from England, Germany, and Italy reportedly monitoring his situation. Everton is latest Premier League teams expressing an interest, while Serie A clubs such as Roma have also been linked.
Brighton appears open to offers but values O’Riley as a potential asset for the upcoming season, so the they’ll want their valuation met of Matt with remain at the club.
Fan opinions are divided. Some believe O’Riley deserves more time to adapt and showcase his abilities, especially given his recovery from injury. Others argue that his playing style may not align with Brighton’s current system, suggesting a loan move could benefit both parties .
Matt’s wants regular playing time, particularly with the 2026 World Cup on the horizon and that may influence his own decision. Brighton’s stance will likely depend on potential midfield departures and the club’s broader transfer strategy and whether their valuation of the player is met.
Don’t be surprised if Matt O’Riley, if he leaves Brighton this summer, goes for a fee in excess of £50m with Celtic believed to have a 10% sell-on clause in the deal they reached with the Premier League’s south coasters last summer.
One to keep an eye on. Moyes incidentally has also been linked with a few players from theRangers over the past few days as he looks to establish his own team back at Everton.
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What a foolish move selling this player and wasting the proceeds + £6 million on 5 duds – on the verge of the season after a very successful pre-season US tour too. I don’t wonder who sanctioned it.