OM: What was O’Riley really worth at Brighton?

Signed with enthusiasm by Brighton, Matt O’Riley barely had time to settle before being slowed down. "He literally got injured in his first match," recounts a supporter. Fielded too soon, before he had absorbed Fabian Hurzeler’s game plan, he had to wait before returning to the pitch.

His return, gradual as it was, still left a mark. Coming on against Manchester City, he changed the complexion of the match alongside Baleba and Joao Pedro. That first impression hinted at a player capable of blowing a game wide open thanks to his vision and creativity.

Clear vision, versatility embraced

The profile drawn by Brighton FR is telling: "Good vision, above-average passing, tidy finishing." Tried as a No. 10 in preseason, O’Riley impressed with his game intelligence and his ability to break lines. Playmaker, box-to-box, even a No. 8 in a double pivot: his versatility appeals to coaches.

But behind the praise, a caveat remains: "A huge part of his potential was never revealed at Brighton, because of the context and the style of play," laments a fan.

Between frustration and promise

With only the 19th-most minutes in the squad last season, O’Riley didn’t deliver what many expected. "I’m not disappointed in him, but we hoped for more, because his potential is massive," another supporter sums up.

The comparison with his 2023–2024 season at Celtic is harsh: 19 goals and 18 assists in a single year. A high-level output he hasn’t replicated in the Premier League.

A Marseille gamble

For OM, O’Riley arrives as much a gamble as a reinforcement. His technical qualities are not in doubt. But his ability to string games together, to impose himself mentally and physically, still has to be proven. If De Zerbi manages to harness this unfinished talent, OM could well awaken the Celtic version of the Dane and rediscover that attacking midfielder "a monster as a 10" that Brighton only glimpsed.