Matt O'Riley's time as a Celtic player is set to come to an end very soon. The Danish midfielder deserves credit for showing professionalism and giving it his all on the pitch this season despite uncertainty over his future at Parkhead. After months of rumours, there is now some clarity over his situation. The 23-year-old is set to join Brighton & Hove Albion.
News broke out about the clubs reaching an agreement over a deal. And Brighton & Hove Albion are going to pay a Scottish record transfer fee to sign O'Riley from Celtic.
As reported by Fabrizio Romano, Celtic will receive a £25 million fixed fee plus add-ons up to a £30 million package. O'Riley will sign a five-year deal with Brighton & Hove Albion.
So, the long-running O'Riley saga is over. The midfielder, who was signed from MK Dons for a transfer fee around £1.5 million in early 2022, will leave two-and-a-half years later in the most expensive exit in Scottish football history.
🔵🇩🇰 Matt O’Riley will sign a five year deal at Brighton valid until June 2029.
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) August 23, 2024
Fabrizio Romano names fee Brighton will pay Celtic for Matt O'Riley
The £30 million transfer package is well-and-good. But now, the task for Celtic is to find a replacement for O'Riley. That is going to be a difficult task.
O'Riley had almost 40 goal contributions last season from midfield. He is equally adept at setting up his teammates and finding the back of the net himself.
Celtic have been linked with some exciting names. Arne Engels of FC Augsburg and Mateusz Bogusz of LAFC are believed to be on the Hoops' radar as we enter the last week of the summer transfer window.
Of course, with Celtic receiving that kind of a fee, clubs are expected to raise their demands when it comes to transfers. So, let's see how successful the Hoops are in finding a replacement.