Leyton Orient could be set for big profit after beating Middlesbrough, Stoke & Sunderland in Man Utd transfer race: View | OneFootball

Leyton Orient beat Championship clubs Middlesbrough, Stoke City and Sunderland to the signing of Ethan Galbraith last summer.

Galbraith was once labeled a wonderkid for the promise he showed at Manchester United's academy, but first team opportunities were hard to come by.

He eventually fell behind the likes of Kobbie Mainoo and Hannibal Mejbri in the midfield pecking order and was released at the end of last season.

​​​​​Ethan Galbraith transfer speculation

Even though Galbraith was deemed surplus to requirements at Old Trafford, there were still a number of teams that rated him highly.

Middlesbrough, Stoke City and Sunderland were all interested in signing the Northern Ireland international.

Meanwhile, Newcastle were also weighing up a move for the 22-year-old, albeit their plan was to immediately send him out on loan.

Despite interest from teams in the Premier League and Championship, however, League Two champions Leyton Orient were able to get a deal over the line.

One would assume that the assurance of regular first team football played an important role in Galbraith's decision to move to East London.

Ethan Galbraith at Leyton Orient

Galbraith was integral to Richie Wellens' side in the 2023-24 season, helping the O's to achieve a top-half finish in their long-awaited return to League One.

Known as more of a deep lying playmaker, Galbraith spent much of the season filling in at right-back.

Wellens only had three natural full-backs at his disposal - Tom James, Rob Hunt and Jayden Sweeney - so someone else needed to step up by learning a new position.

And Galbraith rose to the challenge, showcasing an excellent work ethic and tenacity, in addition to his obvious technical ability.

Especially in the build-up phase, the Northern Irishman demonstrated the same vision and progressive passing from wide areas that he typically would from the centre of the pitch.

This is not unusual in modern football, with the likes of Trent Alexander-Arnold and Reece James proving at the highest level that full-backs can have a huge influence.

That being said, Orient will surely see the best of Galbraith at the heart of the pitch in the 2024-25 campaign.

Leyton Orient could make big profit on Ethan Galbraith

Orient will be desperate to keep hold of Galbraith over the summer, as he could be crucial to a potential play-off push next season.

And with Ipswich loanee Idris El Mizouni returning to his parent club after two years at the East London club, Galbraith has added value in the form of continuity.

But the same teams that were interested in the midfielder before his move to the Gaughan Group Stadium may still be interested now.

After all, Galbraith's performances at Orient have only reinstated the belief that he will develop into a top player one day.

The former Man Utd prospect only has one year remaining on his contract, too, which means that Wellens' side run the risk of losing him for free in a year's time.

Albeit unlikely, it would not be shocking to see the O's accept a lucrative offer for one of their star players over the next few months.