Newly promoted Brighton and Hove Albion completed their third summer signing last week with the purchase of Australian goalkeeper Mathew Ryan for a club-record transfer fee.
The 25-year-old joins from Spanish club Valencia and has put pen to paper on a five-year deal with the Seagulls.
Speaking to the club’s official website, manager Chris Hughton revealed his joy at being able to attract the experienced Ryan to the club:
“I’m delighted that we’ve been able to attract Mathew to the club, and he will certainly be an excellent addition to the squad in time for our first season in the Premier League. For somebody of Mathew’s age, he has very good experience, having played in the top divisions in Australia, Belgium and Spain. He has also competed in European competition and made a number of appearances at international level.”
The History
In 2009, at the age of 17, Ryan linked up with Australian A-League side Central Coast Mariners, initially playing with the youth team before making his senior debut in August 2010.
He kept a record 12 clean sheets in 27 league appearances in the 2010/11 campaign and remained a regular starter until moving to Belgian side Club Brugge in May 2013.
Ryan made his league debut in a 2-0 win over RSC Charleroi and finished the 2013/14 campaign with 11 shut-outs from 30 matches.
He enjoyed another strong season in 2014/15, keeping nine clean sheets from 27 appearances, and also started all 14 UEFA Europa League matches as the Belgian side progressed to the quarter-final stage.
His impressive performances had attracted interest from clubs such as Liverpool, but it was Valencia who secured his services in July 2015, handing the Australian a six-year contract.
Ryan made his La Liga bow in a goalless draw against Rayo Vallecano in August 2015, but an injury saw him lose his place in the side, limiting the Australian to just eight league appearances.
Injuries again halted Ryan’s progress at the start of last season, which led to the goalkeeper being sent out on loan to Belgian outfit Racing Genk for the second half of the campaign.
He made 24 appearances in all competitions, including six matches in the Europa League, keeping 11 clean sheets.
Ryan made 10 appearances for Australia U20s and U23s before making his senior debut against North Korea in December 2012.
He has clocked up 31 appearances for the national team, playing in both the 2014 World Cup and the successful AFC Asian Cup campaign the following year.
The Prospects
After David Stockdale, who started 45 of Brighton’s 46 league matches last season, turned down a new contract offer and signed for Birmingham City, the Seagulls have moved quickly to bring in a replacement.
Ryan arrives at the Amex Stadium with plenty of experience in Europe and on the international stage, with his style of play looking well-suited to that of the south coast club.
Speaking in 2015, Ryan, who was twice named Belgian Pro League Goalkeeper of the Year while at Club Brugge, revealed how he liked to model his game on Bayern Munich’s Manuel Neuer:
“We are a similar style, we’re comfortable with the ball at our feet. We play a high sweeping role there at the back to help out the defence.”
Indeed, it’s a point Ryan made when signing for the Championship runners-up, while also stressing the need for any top goalkeeper to be a strong shot-stopper:
“I like to think that’s one of my strengths; I’m pretty comfortable with the ball at my feet and can hopefully use that aspect of my game to help the team. Hopefully, we can play some good football from the back and play through the lines. Aside from that, as a goalkeeper, it’s important to be a good shot-stopper as well.”
Comparing Ryan and Stockdale from last season, the Australian averaged a save every 25.7 minutes across six matches for Genk in the Europa League, significantly better than the Englishmen (36.2).
The Belgian side were the underdogs in many of those matches – a position Brighton are likely to find themselves in for many of their fixtures in the Premier League.
Burnley’s Tom Heaton has been the major success story among goalkeepers coming up from the Championship in recent years, but Ryan may not boast as much save point potential as the England international. Heaton averaged a save every 22.3 minutes during their promotion campaign, and 22.1 last term.
What is encouraging regarding Ryan’s clean sheet prospects is the fact that Brighton boasted the best home defensive record in 2016/17, conceding just 14 goals in 23 matches and keeping 12 clean sheets.
The Seagulls begin the campaign with a daunting home encounter against Manchester City, but with West Bromwich Albion, Newcastle United and Stoke City among those visiting the Amex before Gameweek 12, Ryan looks set to be a viable option for our Gameweek 1 squads.
Expected to be the starter in goal for Hughton’s side, Ryan is likely to come in at 4.5 in Fantasy Premier League (FPL).
With many Fantasy managers tending to prefer going with two starting 4.5-priced options at the start of the season, Ryan looks a strong candidate for a rotation pairing.
With that in mind, he will alternate perfectly home and away with the eventual first choice option – whoever that may be – at Huddersfield Town. He is also a very effective rotation partner for Southampton’s Frazer Forster who is set to be a popular early target given the Saints’ hugely favourable early schedule.
Both Heaton and Hull City’s Eldin Jakupovic provided excellent value for FPL bosses last season. Ryan could be poised to follow suit, particularly if Brighton show signs that they, like Heaton and Turf Moor, can turn the Amex Stadium into a fortress.
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