Glentoran Football Club have completed the signing of versatile attacking midfielder Jack Malone from Glenavon for an undisclosed fee.

 The 25-year-old playmaker has put pen to paper on a long-term deal with the Glens after agreeing personal terms and successfully completing a medical.

The former Derry City player arrives at The BetMcLean Oval with a strong reputation as one of the Sports Direct Premiership’s most consistent and influential midfielders in recent seasons.

He made over 127 appearances for the Lurgan Blues, scoring 19 league goals, since joining the club from the Candystripes in July 2022.

In the 2025/26 season, Malone has featured 25 times in all competitions, scoring four goals, all in the Sports Direct Premiership and has been widely regarded as one of Glenavon’s standout performers this season.

Speaking after completing his move to Glentoran, Jack Malone said: “I’m absolutely delighted to sign for Glentoran. 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

“I worked with Declan and Paddy McCourt earlier in my career at Derry City and the standards they set and the way they want their teams to play always stood out to me. Their vision for the club is outstanding and it really excited me.

“I can’t wait to get started, to pull on the Glentoran jersey and play in front of the supporters at The BetMcLean Oval. I want to help the team in the second half of the season and do everything I can by scoring goals, creating chances and contributing to the club’s push for success.”

Declan Devine, Glentoran First Team Manager, said: “Jack is a player I’ve known and worked with previously and I could see his quality and potential at an early stage. 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.”

Malone becomes Glentoran’s second signing of the January transfer window, following the announcement earlier today regarding the arrival of 23-year-old former Dungannon Swifts’ forward Ben Gallagher.

Gallagher returns to the Sports Direct Premiership as a free agent after a spell in Australia and had attracted significant interest from a number of leading clubs in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

Paul Millar, Glentoran Sporting Director, said: “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 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.”