“I am very very happy leaving Celtic and joining Brighton, ….” Celtic Player, Matt O’Riley of which the club and Rodgers did everything to keep him reveals why he FORCEFULLY left Celtic to join Brighton and …….

Matt O’Riley, the Danish international midfielder, has confirmed his move from Celtic to Brighton & Hove Albion. The transfer fee is reportedly over £25m, with potential add-ons reaching £30m. O’Riley expressed his happiness and relief after a “couple of months” of negotiations, admitting that the process became “a little bit stressful” towards the end.

In his first interview with Brighton’s media channel, O’Riley revealed that talks began much earlier than reported, saying: “The talks were ongoing for a good couple of months. I’m just really happy to be here.”

O’Riley praised Brighton manager Fabian Hurzeler for his honesty and vision, stating: “He told me where I’d fit in in terms of the structure… He didn’t just butter me up like he could have done. There were other clubs looking at me. He was just brutally honest about what he could help me with and what I could improve on.”

The midfielder also shared his emotional farewell to Celtic, saying: “It’s hard to leave Celtic. I think people don’t realise how big the club is until you get up there. It’s a real family club… I thoroughly enjoyed my time there. I’m still a little bit emotional speaking about it because I have such good memories there.”

O’Riley made 124 appearances for Celtic, scoring 27 goals and assisting 35 more, winning six trophies and individual awards. He expressed his gratitude and fond memories of his time at Celtic, wishing the club all the best as he embarks on a new challenge with Brighton.