Match action during the Premier League match between Brighton and Hove Albion and Luton Town during the 2023/24 season, at the American Express Stadium on the 12th August 2023.
Move over McCowan: Celtic have unearthed next O’Riley in “magical” star
Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers was dealt a big blow during the summer transfer window when Matt O’Riley was sold to Brighton & Hove Albion on a permanent deal.
The Premier League outfit reportedly paid a fee in excess of the previous Scottish transfer record, which stood at £25m, and this meant that the Hoops raked in a significant sum of money for the Danish star.
Whilst it was a blow for the Scottish giants to lose a player of his quality from the squad, that sale did allow the club to invest in a host of new signings to bolster the club.
Arne Engels, Luke McCowan, Auston Trusty, Alex Valle, Viljami Sinisalo, Kasper Schmeichel, Adam Idah, and Paulo Bernardo were all brought in by the Hoops.
Engels was a particularly lavish addition to the group as they paid a club-record fee of £11m to sign the Belgium international from Augsburg after O’Riley’s exit.
The most similar player to the Danish star, stylistically, from the summer signings, however, was McCowan, who joined on a permanent deal from Scottish Premiership rivals Dundee.
Luke McCowan’s form for Celtic
The Scottish midfielder, like O’Riley, is a left-footed central midfielder who looks to impact games by pushing forward to deliver goals and assists for the team.
In the Premiership last season, the boyhood Celtic supporter caught the eye with ten goals and five assists in 37 appearances for Dundee, which proved that he had the quality to produce goals and assists regularly in the top-flight from a central midfield position.
