Reading fans might not be familiar with Mark O'Mahony, but the young Brighton forward arrives at the Select Car Leasing Stadium with plenty of promise and a play style that could quickly make him a fan favourite with the Royals.
He's already scored for Brighton's senior team, and he looked a handful up front in his minutes against Burnley, Manchester City, and Bournemouth in the Premier League.
The youngster is coming off the back of a difficult Championship campaign with Portsmouth, where he was sidelined for over two months and missed 16 games.
But he bounced back and showed glimpses of his physical, pressing, and poacher style, which could make him one of League One's leading strikers.
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Who is Mark O'Mahony?
O'Mahony is a 20-year-old Irish striker who started his footballing career at amateur Irish side Carrigaline United AFC.
In 2019, he moved to Cork City's Academy aged 14, and started a steady climb up the club's ranks. Within three years he had developed enough to be given a chance in the first team, and in the 2021/22 season, he made 13 first team appearances.
After just one season in the second tier of Irish football, Brighton saw an opportunity and snapped him up the then 18-year-old in January 2023 for a fee of around £50k.
His first season on the south coast was spent with the U21s, where he scored four goals and provided one assist in 541 minutes of football.
The following season saw him score 10 goals and pick up two assists in 11 Premier League 2 appearances, and his incredible form earned him some first team opportunities under Roberto De Zerbi.
He was subbed on for a few minutes against Burnley and City, but he started and played 45 minutes against Bournemouth.
Come the 2024/2025 season and his goal scoring record made it clear that he was far too good for youth football. He was given a chance in pre-season under new boss Fabian Hürzeler and he even started and scored against Crawley Town in the EFL Cup, but the decision was made to loan him to Championship side Portsmouth.
The majority of his season was spent sidelined with an injury, but he did score three goals in 592 minutes across 13 league games. So, not a bad return with all things considered.
The forward also has many international youth games under his belt. Across the Irish U17s, U18s, U19s, and U21s he has 38 caps and has scored 18 goals, which includes hat-tricks against Malta and Gibraltar.
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Playing Style
O'Mahony is a mixture between a traditional target man and a modern striker.
He has elements to his game such as physical strength and presence, aerial dominance, hold-up play, and positional intelligence. But he combines these with modern traits like link-up play, tactical intelligence, movement, and ball control.
However, his biggest strengths are his pressing and work rate.
The data is somewhat limited due to his playing time, but when compared to forwards not in the top five leagues over the last 365 days, he is in the 47th percentile for tackles, 85th percentile for interceptions, 99th percentile for blocks, and 90th percentile for clearances.
He is also pretty strong in the air standing at just under six foot and winning 2.27 aerials per 90.
Of course, the most important attribute for a striker, and the one Reading fans will want to know about his finishing. Based on 595 minutes played, he has 0.45 non-penalty goals per 90, which puts him in the 74th percentile. He is also in the 36th percentile for non-penalty xG per 90.
Both of these stats are reasonably solid for a player who missed over a quarter of the season with an injury.
Interestingly, he is only in the 4th percentile for total shots, with 1.51 per 90. This suggests he does not shoot all the time, but when he does, he scores more often than not. He scored from every shot on target he had last season.
He is clinical.
While his link-up play is gradually developing, his main area to improve is his passing, as he currently sits in the lowest percentiles for every passing stat.
In terms of comparisons in the EFL, you are looking at Swansea City's Žan Vipotnik, Sheffield United's Thomas Cannon, Millwall's Mihailo Ivanović, QPR's Michael Frey.
However, the strongest comparison is to Estoril's Alejandro Marqués. The Venezuelan scored 11 goals from 32 total shots and 11 on target, while O'Mahony scored three goals from 10 total shots and three on target. Whilst the numbers vary massively in size, their percentages and per 90s are relatively similar.
Their shots on target percentage sit at 30% and 34%, their shots per 90 are 1.51 and 1.70, and their shots on target per 90 and 0.45 and 0.59.
Both of their goals per shot and goals per shot on target are also similar. O'Mahony's are 0.30 and 1.00, and Marqués' are 0.22 and 0.64.
To summarise his style in one sentence, the Irishman is an instinctive press-ready poacher with developing link-up skills.
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Why Brighton Are Loaning Him Out
It should not come as a surprise that the Seagulls are sending O'Mahony on a second loan stint, and it should not be something Reading fans worry about, as nearly every Brighton youngster is sent on at least one or two loans.
It is part of their development strategy, with even the likes of Evan Ferguson, Ben White, Jan Paul van Hecke, and Kaoru Mitoma having loans away from the club.
The 20-year-old was linked to a few other EFL clubs, but the reasons he and the club chose Reading are straightforward.
The Royals will be able to offer him first team football in a squad that should be one of the best in the division and dominate most teams. They will also be able to give him tactical exposure to add layers to his game and they will also help develop him physically and learn to play against older players.
Brighton's Technical Director, David Weir, said: "The aim with all our young players is for them to play regular senior football, and this loan will give Mark that chance this season.
"He's shown his undoubted potential in the Championship with Portsmouth last season, and during his three appearances for us in the Premier League. This move provides him with the platform to get regular games and goals and continue his development.
Weir added: "After a frustrating last season, Mark has been with us this previous week and shown he is back to full fitness, raring to go and ready for the new season. We will be following his progress with interest."
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What Reading Fans Should Expect
As with all young players, expectations should be kept low as they are only at the start of their journey, but with O'Mahony it is not unrealistic to say he has a good chance of being a regular starter for Reading.
He is likely to start the season on the bench, but once he settles and gains some momentum, then there will be no dropping him.
His experience in and around a Premier League squad at such a young age will give him a big advantage. He already knows the levels required in training and he already understands the physicality he will be up against.
His energy in the press and runs in behind could be deadly in League One - as seen against Crawley - and it is something Reading supporters should be excited for. He will always give his best and work his socks off for the team.
Realistically, a season of 10 to 15 goal contributions would be fantastic for all parties, but that is not to say he will not get more.
Long-term he has the potential and profile to break into Brighton's first team and stay there. However, it all depends on how Reading use him this season.
Except a press with intent and an intelligent player whenever and wherever he is playing.
O'Mahony may arrive without much hype, but if Reading give him the platform to develop, he could become a key contributor in their promotion hopes, and give Brighton a glimpse of their future number nine.
