Former Celtic favourite Matt O'Riley looks to be on the move just two years on from his £25million move to Brighton. O'Riley was a hit at Celtic, scoring 25 goals in 93 league appearances from midfield and establishing himself as one of the bright young attacking midfield talents in the game.
But injuries were not kind to him after his £25million move down South, with Celtic making a £10million profit on their initial investment, and life at Brighton has not been so easy.
O'Riley has made 27 league appearances for the Seagulls, contributing three goals, but he is not viewed as a key player by Fabian Hurzeler who, granted, does have a very strong squad.
O'Riley went out on loan last season, spending time at Marseille, where he made 15 league appearances, and it appears as though he will be back on the move this summer.
O'Riley wants sunny move
Speaking to The Argus, O'Riley revealed his desire to move on from Brighton, but his desire to play in the sun is not good news for any calls for a Celtic return.
“I’m very open to trying all sorts, you know? I also like sunshine! Vitamin D is a good friend of mine so whenever I can get closer to that," he said.
“It’s also just a different culture, different experiences, learning a new language, all that stuff, I think just helps you build yourself as a person.”
Asked about the similar intensity levels of playing for Marseille compared to Celtic, he added: “Definitely, yes. Even when I’ve been away, I was in Prague with some friends and I met Marseille fans.
“You meet them all over the world, similar to Celtic. In that sense, they are both massive clubs because you always find a Marseille or a Celtic fan everywhere.
“I feel very lucky to have played for two teams that size because not many people do. And, also as a person, it has probably set me up for a lot of challenging moments.”
O'Riley has made six appearances for Denmark so far, and he will want to get back in and around the international setup, still only 25 years of age. But he needs to be playing regularly, and it seems Brighton will not offer him that. The question is how much Brighton want to make back on their £25million investment, given the attacking midfielder's stock isn't particularly high at the moment.
Interestingly, Celtic are believed to have a 10% sell-on percentage.
Add us as a preferred source on Google