Roma goalkeeper Matthew Ryan officially joins Lens for a transfer fee of 800,000 euros

Lens officially announced on Tuesday that 32-year-old Australian goalkeeper Matthew Ryan has joined from Roma. Both parties signed a six-month contract until June 30, 2025.

According to the official statement, Matthew Ryan will wear the No. 30 jersey in Lens. His contract with Roma was originally scheduled to expire this summer, so the transfer fee is only 800,000 euros.

Matthew Ryan started his career at the age of 17 at Central Coast Mariners, and then played for Bruges, Valencia, Genk, Brighton, Arsenal, Real Sociedad, Copenhagen and Alkmaar. He has played a substitute role for a long time and has played in 2 Champions League games, 25 Europa League games, 11 UEFA Cup games, 14 Asian Champions League games, 124 Premier League games and 13 La Liga games so far.

In July 2024, Ryan signed a one-year contract with Roma as a free agent. Since Claudio Ranieri does not often use the rotation system, he has only played for Roma in the Italian Cup quarter-finals since joining.

Lens sees Ryan as their second choice after Pau Lopez's transfer was frustrated, and believes he can effectively fill the vacancy left by Blaise Samba joining Rennes in the short term. General Manager Pierre Dereosie said in a statement: "Matthew Ryan is an important addition to the Lens squad with his 454 professional games. This well-known goalkeeper has been playing consistently for more than a decade. He gradually proved himself to be one of the best players in Australia and Oceania. Through his experience in top European leagues such as La Liga, Premier League, Eredivisie and Serie A, Matthew has accumulated rich experience. His 66 appearances in European competitions are As the captain of the Australian national team, he has also performed outstandingly in the past three World Cups. "

"Matthew is an all-round goalkeeper," Dereosi added. "He is known for his leadership and excellent professionalism, and he is a perfect match for Lens' goalkeeping team. With a desire to play and a passion for football, he will be able to play for the club." He arrived in Artois, much to the fans' expectations. Welcome Mathieu! "