MK Dons have announced the signing of midfielder Liam Kelly from Crawley Town for an undisclosed fee.
The 28-year-old joins the Dons from last season’s League Two play-off winners, and has signed a contract of undisclosed length at Stadium MK.
Kelly is the Dons’ seventh signing of the 2024 summer transfer window, as the club seek to rebuild a squad that finished fourth in League Two last season.
Former Ireland youth international Kelly joins two months on from helping Crawley beat MK Dons in the League Two play-offs en-route to promotion via the play-offs, with the midfielder scoring in the first leg of their semi-final.
He had been with the Sussex club for two seasons after signing from Exeter City, scoring 6 in 45 appearances for the Red Devils last season.
Kelly told the official MK Dons website that he is pleased to join the project that his new boss Mike Williamson is building at Stadium MK.
He said, “The project that’s building under the gaffer here is clear to see from the outside even when playing against MK Dons last season. It’s a project that I was looking forward to getting on board with when I first heard about it so I’m delighted to get it done.
“I had an unbelievable season last year, not just me personally but as a team to get promotion. Hopefully, I can use that experience.”
“Obviously, last year the Club got close to doing it so hopefully with the learning that has come from that and both experiences combined, we can come together and have a really good season.
“The ambition of the Club is simple, to get promoted, but it comes from us players to dig in and show why we should be getting promoted.”
Williamson spoke of his delight at getting the player and described Kelly as an option who would be a strength to MK Dons in the upcoming season.
He said, “Kelly is another exciting addition to our team.
“We’ve witnessed first-hand how impactful he can be on the field and his creativity is something that can only strengthen us. That, paired with his experiences, aligns perfectly for what we’re looking to achieve.”