Celtic set for major windfall as record transfer to agree new move
Celtic are set to receive 10 per cent of Brighton’s sale of Matt O’Riley to Marseille should a permanent deal be completed in January.
Last summer, O’Riley received interest from Sunderland and Juventus, yet opted to make a late transfer window loan move to Marseille.
The first half of the season on the French south coast has been a roaring success for the midfielder, with O’Riley keen to become a permanent Marseille player.
Sources told Football Insider that Brighton are open to selling O’Riley in January, which will benefit his previous club Celtic.
Wilfried Nancy to benefit from Matt O’Riley sale as Celtic set to receive in excess of £2million
As I revealed on the latest edition of Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast, the Dane looks set to leave the Seagulls on a permanent basis for Marseille.
Having left Glasgow in 2024-25 to head to the south coast of England, the Hoops agreed a sell-on clause in the transfer, one that could be set to pay out in the coming weeks.
Speaking on the Inside Track podcast, I explained: “There is a real possibility that Marseille could turn Matt O’Riley‘s loan move from Brighton into a permanent arrangement which could result in a windfall for Celtic.
“They’ve got a 10 per cent sell-on clause in his contract from the deal there when they sold him to Brighton for around £26million, which was a club record fee.
“So, if Brighton were to sell O’Riley to Marseille, they’d probably be looking to recoup as much as that as possible for maybe a windfall of around £2m-plus which would go into [Wilfried] Nancy’s transfer kitty in January, if Marseille do manage to get that deal done in the January window.
“Celtic could benefit with a few extra couple of million to be pumped back into the club which obviously the fans will love to be used on transfers.”
Nancy to use O’Riley cash influx to bolster squad in January
The chances of the 25-year-old heading to Marseille permanently appears likely as the expected new Hoops manager will be organising his transfer plans ahead of the upcoming transfer window.
Sources told Football Insider that Celtic will have to back Nancy in the January transfer window if the club want any chance of winning the Scottish Premiership.
Celtic are preparing to raid the MLS in January and the money from the O’Riley sell-on will be used to bring in more players to Glasgow ahead of a defining second half of the season for the Frenchman.