The doughty player under our lens today is Matt O’Riley, born on the 21st of November, 2000, in England. He is of a strapping build, standing 6ft 1in (1.87m) tall and tipping the scales at 12st 1lb (77kg). This midfielder, predominantly a fixture in the central midfield, currently plies his trade for Marseille, donning the number 17. O'Riley has the unique distinction of having represented the Denmark national team as well.
According to Transfermarkt, O'Riley's current market value circles £17 million.
His journey in professional football started in July 2009, at a tender age when O'Riley joined the Premier League outfit, Fulham, embarking on his career as a trainee. His first taste of professional football came in the 2019 - 2020 season when he took to the pitch once for Fulham.
January 2021 saw O'Riley making a domestic move from Fulham to MK Dons, in the English League Two. The specifics of the transfer fee remained a well-guarded secret.
O'Riley's career took a northward route, both professionally and geographically, when he transferred from MK Dons to the Scottish Premiership stalwarts, Celtic, in January 2022. The transfer fee exchanged hands was estimated to be around £1.5 million.
O'Riley had a prolific stint at Celtic spanning two and a half seasons. His maiden 2021 - 2022 season saw him making 16 appearances and netting four goals. He proved himself to be an integral part of the squad in the next season, strongly contributing with three goals over 38 matches. His performance peaked in the 2023 - 2024 season, where he starred in 37 matches, amassing a laudable 18 goals to his name. Even though his final 2024 - 2025 season was cut short due to his transfer, he managed to play two games.
Staying true to the unpredictable nature of football, August 2024 saw O'Riley making a surprising move from Celtic to Brighton & Hove Albion in the Premier League. The transfer received considerable attention due to its value of around £25 million.
Dawn of the 2024 - 2025 season saw O'Riley adding 21 caps and two goals to his Brighton & Hove Albion tally. The ongoing 2025 - 2026 season has seen him don the Brighton jersey twice, already boasting of a goal.
In a dramatic turn of events, O'Riley found himself crossing the English Channel in September 2025 to join the French Ligue 1 side, Marseille, on loan. He has since represented Marseille in 13 matches and scored once in the current 2025 - 2026 season.
O’Riley has also been integral in his team's quests in various tournaments. He represented Marseille in the Coupe de France and Trophée des Champions 2025 - 2026 with two and one appearances respectively. He has also been a part of the World Cup Qualifiers Europe for Denmark, and the Champions League for Marseille – participating in two and six matches respectively.
