Glentoran secure signing of Irish League star 'we have tracked closely over a number of seasons'
Glentoran manager Declan Devine feels Jack Malone “will make a significant impact” after securing the services of the Glenavon midfielder for an undisclosed fee.
Malone has been one of the Lurgan Blues’ most influential players since arriving from Derry City in 2022 – he made 112 Premiership appearances, including 22 this term, and scored 19 goals.
The 25-year-old has joined former Dungannon Swifts attacker Ben Gallagher as a January arrival at The Oval after signing a long-term deal with the East Belfast outfit.
Malone previously worked with Devine during their time at Derry City and the Glens chief believes he can play a big role going forward.
“Jack is a player I’ve known and worked with previously and I could see his quality and potential at an early stage,” he said. “Since then, he has gone on to fully prove himself at this level through consistently strong performances.
“He brings real energy, intelligence and attacking quality to our midfield and he has the mentality, professionalism and work ethic we demand at this club.
"He understands the demands of full-time football and is ambitious, hungry to succeed and determined to keep improving.
“Jack fits the profile of player we want at Glentoran and we’re delighted to bring him to the club.
"He will add real depth and quality to our midfield options, as well as goals and while there was strong interest elsewhere, his desire to come here and be part of what we are building was clear from our conversations.
“I’m confident he will make a significant impact, not just this season but for the future of the club, as we continue to build a squad capable of sustained, long-term success.”
Glentoran’s sporting director Paul Millar revealed the club have tracked Malone’s progress closely across recent years and feels they’re getting him at the perfect stage of his career.
“Jack is a player we have tracked closely over a number of seasons, and his consistency, output and versatility in the Sports Direct Premiership made him a clear target for us,” he said. “He strengthens our midfield options and brings proven quality and goals from an area we were keen to improve.
“This signing allows the club to continue building a balanced, competitive squad for both the short and long term.
"Jack is entering an important stage of his career and we believe this environment provides the ideal platform for him to progress within a full-time, high-performance structure.
“There was strong competition for Jack’s signature, which reflects his standing in the local game, but his commitment to Glentoran and belief in our long-term vision were clear throughout the process.
"I would also like to thank our owner, Ali Pour, for once again backing the football operation as we continue to build for the future.”
Malone could be in line to make his Glentoran debut in Saturday’s Irish Cup fifth round trip to Strabane Athletic and wants to play his part in delivering silverware success.
“I’m absolutely delighted to sign for Glentoran,” he said. “It’s a massive club with huge ambition and history.
"The quality in the squad here is clear and it’s good enough to be competing for trophies. I’m ambitious, I want to win things and Glentoran offers me a fantastic opportunity to do that in a full-time, professional environment geared towards long-term success.”