Mercato OM: Matt O’Riley arrives to energize Marseille’s midfield!

After Vermeeren, Emerson and Aguerd, Matt O’Riley is now set to touch down on La Canebière. According to Fabrice Hawkins (RMC), OM have reached a full agreement with Brighton to bring in the Danish midfielder on a straight loan with no option to buy. The 24-year-old international is expected in Marseille as early as Monday morning for his medical before joining Roberto De Zerbi’s squad.

This last-minute move underlines one thing: Pablo Longoria and Mehdi Benatia don’t plan to stop before the transfer deadline. After the turbulent Rabiot, Zhegrova and Ordoñez sagas, OM are adding another face to strengthen the midfield.

🚨🔵⚪️EXCLUSIF Matt O'Riley arrive à Marseille. Accord entre Brighton et l’OM pour un prêt sec sans option d’achat. Le milieu est attendu à Marseille ce lundi matin. pic.twitter.com/T2mEa4bfdp

— Fabrice Hawkins (@FabriceHawkins) September 1, 2025

O’Riley, a profile tailor-made for Ligue 1

Born in London but a Danish international (4 caps), O’Riley (1.89m) is coming off a mixed season at Brighton. Signed from Celtic in 2023 for around €30m, he featured in 21 Premier League games, scoring 2 goals and supplying 2 assists. Though not always a starter, he showed his qualities: a midfielder who can break forward, with fine vision and tidy technique.

Developed at Fulham, he made his name in Scotland with Celtic (30 goals and 28 assists across two seasons in all competitions). Versatile, he can play as a shuttling No. 8, as an attacking midfielder, or even drop into a deeper, more defensive role. His ability to press, break forward and orchestrate play makes him a modern “box-to-box” player—a rare profile that complements Marseille’s other signings.

De Zerbi has his creative conduit

For Roberto De Zerbi, who has already come across O’Riley in the Premier League, it’s an ideal signing. The Italian coach wanted to offset the loss of Adrien Rabiot, who left for AC Milan, and have a technical midfielder able to link ball recovery to creation. Alongside Arthur Vermeeren and Angel Gomes, Matt O’Riley’s arrival adds depth and a variety of profiles OM had been missing.

At just 24, he has already played in Europe with Celtic and in the Premier League with Brighton—experience that fits perfectly with OM’s European ambitions, with the club qualified for the Champions League.

A straight loan that raises questions

The only caveat in the deal is the straight-loan formula: OM won’t be able to trigger a purchase option at the end of the season. In other words, if O’Riley lights it up in an Olympien shirt, they’ll have to renegotiate with Brighton. But given the urgency of the window and the opportunity, Longoria and Benatia felt it was a chance not to miss.

The Danish midfielder is therefore arriving for a season, with a real chance to reignite his career and establish himself in one of the most passionate environments in Europe: the Vélodrome.

The Vélodrome is already waiting

Marseille’s supporters will quickly discover an elegant, hard-working and ambitious player. His arrival caps a blockbuster transfer window in which OM have completely overhauled their squad. The objective is clear: to give De Zerbi all the tools to be competitive in Ligue 1 and on the European stage.

With 24 hours to go before the window closes, OM keep springing surprises. And with Matt O’Riley, another enticing gamble is landing on La Canebière.