Transfer Update: Matt Ryan joins boyhood club Arsenal from Brighton on loan till end of the season

Arsenal have gotten Brighton goalkeeper Mat Ryan on loan until the end of the season.

The 28-year-old Australian international lost his spot to Robert Sanchez after falling out of favour at Brighton.

Brighton boss Graham Potter dismissed suggestions last month that Ryan had played his final game for the Seagulls but said he was willing to allow him to leave in search of regular first-team football.

“Signing for the club you grew up supporting as a kid,” wrote Ryan on Twitter. “Buzzing to be beginning this new chapter and will give everything I’ve got to contribute to the first club I ever loved.”

“We know Mat very well through his performances with Brighton in recent seasons and he brings additional quality to our squad,” Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta told the club’s website.

“Mat has very good Premier League experience and has played over 100 times in the league, which is something that will benefit us greatly on and off the pitch.”

Despite starting 11 of Brighton’s first 12 matches in the Premier League this season, Ryan has not been called up to Brighton’s matchday squad for the past seven league games.

However, the Australian who has now joined Arsenal on loan will wear the number 33 and will compete with Bernd Leno and Alex Runarsson for the starting spot, after Matt Macey moved to Hibernian on a loan deal earlier this month.

“Mat will provide very good competition and positive support to all our goalkeepers and we are looking forward to him integrating quickly into the set-up here at Arsenal,” said Arsenal sporting director Edu.

Ryan joined Brighton from Valencia in 2017 in a then-club-record £5.4m deal and has gone on to make 121 Premier League appearances for the club, keeping 28 clean sheets.

He rose through the ranks at Australian club Central Coast Mariners before then impressing for Belgian side Club Brugge, and eventually earning a move to Spain in 2015.

“Mat has been a great servant to the club in the Premier League, and he has played no small part for the club at this level,” said Brighton boss Graham Potter.

“We have incredible talent and competition at this club for just one position, and understandably, as Australia’s