Brighton have agreed in precept a deal for Celtic midfielder Matt O’Reilly.
The transfer will set a brand new switch file for a Scottish membership at £25 million, following Jota’s transfer from Celtic to the Etihad final summer season.
The Celtics have beforehand rejected 5 gives from Atalanta for O’Reilly – who scored 19 objectives and contributed 18 assists final season – The Italian club’s top offer was £21.5m plus add-ons.
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See all of Matt O’Reilly’s objectives for Celtic within the Scottish Premiership final season
The 23-year-old Denmark worldwide is contracted to Celtic till 2027, with the membership rejecting a £20m bid from Atletico Madrid in January.
Brighton have invested closely this summer season £40m signing of striker Georginio Root Midfielder Brajan Gruda joins for round £25 million.
Why Celtic’s loss is Brighton’s acquire
O’Leary strikes to Celtic from MK Dons in January 2022
Sky Sports activities’ Sahil Jedkar and Alison Conroy:
A lot of the dialogue surrounding O’Reilly’s transfer from Celtic to Brighton has been about cash.
It’s understood the transfer would set a brand new file for something acquired by a Scottish Premiership membership, surpassing the £25m Celtic acquired for Jota and Kieran Tierney.
Nevertheless, do not be fooled into considering that O’Reilly solely cares about cash.
The Denmark worldwide is level-headed and is motivated by bettering as a participant – not by rising his wages.
After graduating from Fulham’s academy, he turned down a contract extension provide from his boyhood membership. As a substitute, he spent six months coaching together with his father at a London park earlier than becoming a member of MK Dons.
It was a calculated transfer by O’Reilly, and it paid off. He made his breakthrough with the senior staff on the then First Division membership, scoring 10 objectives and registering eight assists.
O’Reilly joins Celtic from MK Dons for £1.5m
Because of this, groups from the Premier League, Championship and Europa League have an interest within the midfielder. Nevertheless, a transfer to Celtic has caught his eye in January 2022, however why would a £1.5m transfer swimsuit him?
He stated: “If a membership pays me a sure sum of money, if the type is not proper, I will not be a part of. I am not that kind of individual.”
O’Reilly made an instantaneous impression with two assists within the first 4 video games, then scored Celtic’s first aim within the win over Aberdeen.
The 23-year-old has by no means appeared again. Within the following season, he contributed 14 assists and 4 objectives, and final season he turned the principle participant of the Celtics.
He supplied a wealth of objectives and assists and Celtic agreed a brand new four-year contract with the participant final September to make sure they might obtain a file switch payment ought to he determine to depart.
As O’Reilly completed the season with 19 objectives and 18 assists, it was no shock that he went on to win the Membership’s Participant of the Yr, Gamers’ Participant of the Yr and Younger Participant of the Yr awards.
O’Reilly swept membership awards at Celtic final season
O’Reilly not solely supplied objectives, he additionally created nice probabilities for his teammates and proved that he’s a participant who can rise to the event.
Brighton might be eyeing a break into Europe underneath Fabian Huerzeller and O’Reilly’s presence may assist with that push.
He has already confirmed he can impress on the largest stage – including two extra to his spectacular tally throughout Celtic’s disappointing Champions League group stage final season assists.
Along with the appropriate mentality and nice capability, he additionally has a winner’s mentality. O’Reilly would carry six main honors to Celtic – three league titles, two Scottish Cups and a League Cup. The Seagulls hope he will help carry the trophy to the seaside.
How will Celtic head coach Brendan Rodgers exchange O’Reilly?
The query for the Celtics is, how do they exchange a participant with such an impression? They should hit the switch marketplace for a confirmed attacking midfielder to fill the gaping O’Reilly-shaped gap within the Parkhead dressing room.
Brighton’s acquire is undoubtedly Celtic’s loss.
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