- Video
-
Club Roar
Captured a great grassroots sporting moment? We want to see it!Content Collections
The Roar Community
- Join
- Login
What a year it’s been for Mat Ryan – spearheading the Socceroos’ Asian Cup victory, steering Club Brugge to second place in the Belgian Pro League, winning the Belgian Cup and appearing in the Europa League quarter-finals.
Those triumphs were all tasters of what was to come. The 23-year-old confirmed on Monday he’s in line for the biggest move of his professional career as he sets off for a medical with La Liga giants Valencia.
Ryan will become just the third Aussie to feature in the Spanish top flight, following in the footsteps of John Aloisi and Aurelio Vidmar, with Aloisi enjoying a purple patch at Osasuna throughout his four years in Pamplona.
Though the goalkeeper signed a contract extension to keep him at Club Brugge until 2018, he never looked likely to see that out. Indeed, it seems as though Ryan was simply doing the club a favour by signing on, ensuring they’d get maximum worth out of him when the time did come to move on.
Club Brugge won’t be the only party grinning at the reported transfer fee of more than $10 million. When Ryan parted ways with Central Coast, they secured a sell-on clause in his contract, something that could be music to the ears of the financially inconsistent club.
Ryan has spent his entire career playing his cards right. Opting to join Brugge was an astute choice. He was all but guaranteed regular football and the chance at playing in Europe. While the Belgian league is in the shadow of Europe’s elite, Ryan has clearly had his work cut out for him.
His performances on the domestic and continental stages put him in the shop window, with Liverpool strongly tipped to sign him as back-up to Simon Mignolet back in January.
But Ryan bided his time and again chose wisely. Current Valencia No.1 Diego Alves unfortunately suffered a cruciate ligament injury last season, ruling him out until January 2016. It means if Ryan passes his medical and returns to match fitness in the coming weeks, he’ll be lining up against Rayo Vallecano on August 23 and Barcelona on November 29.
It’s an encouraging sign that Valencia were in talks to sign Manchester United gloveman Victor Valdes on loan as a temporary replacement for Alves, but made room for Ryan instead.
Valdes would have been the perfect signing for Valencia; he’s an experienced player who would have come with no fee and the two clubs were reportedly in the process of making an arrangement to share the outlay of his wages.
Coach Nuno Espirito Santo seemingly has longer term aspirations for Ryan, who he will see as ideal competition for Alves going forward.
It will be a step up in every sense for Ryan. Bigger stadiums, more quality opponents, world class strikers and a UEFA Champions League play-off in mid-August.
None of that will fear Ryan, who has never shirked a challenge thus far in his career. Though his fondness of Club Brugge was never in doubt, he says this was simply an offer he couldn’t refuse.
“I had a great time here in Bruges. But I feel that it is time to take this step. Last year I had some nice offerings, but this time I could not really refuse,” he said in a club statement.
“I am grateful for the opportunities they gave me, as a young player, I could not imagine a better place to grow.
“I have every confidence in the future of ‘black and blue’, I keep track already from the first row as a supporter. Finally, a big thank you to the best fans in Belgium!”
One of the most storied clubs in one of the most revered leagues in the world awaits and Maty Ryan has certainly earned this.
Are you the ultimate team manager? Pick your own superstar team and go head to head with other football fans for glory and cash prizes on Draftstars. Imagine what you could be buying instead. Set a deposit limit.