MK Dons have completed the signing of Manchester City central midfielder Matthew Smith for an undisclosed fee.
Smith, 22, arrives at Stadium MK with over 100 career games under his belt as well as 15 international caps for Wales.
The majority of his club appearances were made while on loan at FC Twente and Doncaster Rovers, during which time he contributed to 14 goals and won the Dutch Second Division. He has also spent time on loan with Hull City, Charlton Athletic and Queens Park Rangers.
He has also been a regular member of the Wales national team since his debut in 2018 and represented them at last summer’s European Championships.
“I’m absolutely delighted to be here and I can’t wait to get going,” Smith told iFollow MK Dons after completing the deal.
“It was time for me to move on away from City and I don’t think I could have found a better Club to join. The facilities here are fantastic and the players and staff seem fantastic too. There is a real project going on here and I wanted to be a part of that.
“We’ve got a quality squad who have done really well this season – hopefully I can add to that and help the team achieve its goals.”
Born in Redditch, Smith came through the Academy as West Bromwich Albion before moving to Manchester City at the age of 14.
He joined FC Twente in July 2018 and made 37 appearances in the Netherlands, contributing to four goals (two goals, two assists) as well as helping them lift the Dutch Second Division title.
The following season, Smith spent time on loan with, first, Queens Park Rangers and then Charlton Athletic during the curtailed 2019/20 season. He then moved to Doncaster Rovers at the start of last season and enjoyed success in South Yorkshire, scoring once and providing seven assists in 43 games.
Smith’s fifth career loan saw him join newly-promoted Hull City at the start of this campaign and he played 10 times in total for the Tigers, as well as adding a 14th international cap to his name as a starter in Wales’ goalless draw with Finland back in September.
Sporting Director Liam Sweeting said: “We have admired Matt from a far for a long time, with our recruitment team exploring opportunities to sign him on several occasions.
“Matt has excellent pedigree having been signed by Man City at a young age and has developed into a senior Wales International. He will bring control, creativity and a strong understanding of the way we want the team to function.
“The deal has aligned perfectly this time to become a permanent move and is a great fit for both us as a club and where Matt is with his career. He has committed to us for the long term, and I look forward to working with him on this next chapter.”
Head Coach Liam Manning added: “We are very excited to have Matt on board. He is well suited to the way we like to play football, given his upbringing at Manchester City, and is a full Wales international which just highlights the quality he possesses.
“He certainly bolsters our midfield and, I’m sure, he will have a terrific impact between now and the end of the season and beyond that too.”
