Josh Honohan: The 24-year-old’s rise has been one of the most positive League of Ireland news stories in recent times. As recently as 2021, he was hampered by injuries and only sporadically featured for a Cork City team competing in the First Division. Yet Honohan has made substantial strides since then. When he signed for Shamrock Rovers ahead of the 2024 season, he was widely regarded as a centre-back. But in 94 appearances for the Hoops, in which he scored 10 goals, he played primarily as a left wing-back. Honohan’s form was recognised as he was called up to the Ireland senior squad for the first time before the June friendlies with Senegal and Luxembourg. And ahead of Rovers’ final Uefa Conference League match with Hamrun Spartans, it was confirmed that he had completed a long-anticipated move to Lincoln City. The League One club are vying for promotion, so it’s conceivable that Honohan could be lighting up the Championship and back in the Ireland mix as early as next August.
Mason Melia: The Wicklow teenager secured a move to Tottenham last February, although it doesn’t officially go through until January. The deal for the young striker was €2 million upfront, potentially rising to €4 million. Despite all the hype as a result of this historic deal, Melia still had a fine season with St Patrick’s Athletic, narrowly missing out on the Golden Boot after scoring 13 Premier Division goals from 35 appearances.
Sean Keogh: The 19-year-old left-back left Dundalk to sign for Brighton in August. He has already made 21 First Division appearances and 11 in the top flight before leaving the Lilywhites to sign with the Seagulls. Since then, he has regularly appeared for the English club’s U21 side.
Victor Ozhianvuna: The promising 16-year-old winger’s move to Arsenal was announced in October. However, he will stay at Shamrock Rovers — the club that developed him — until January 2027, when he turns 18. The teenager became the second-youngest player to ever feature in the Uefa Conference League when he played for the Hoops against Molde last February. The Ireland underage international also made 13 Premier Division appearances in 2025.
Neil Farrugia: Farrugia was a big loss to Stephen Bradley’s side when he signed for Barnsley in January 2025. The 26-year-old has since made 30 appearances for the League One outfit, who finished last season 12th in the table, and they will be looking to make a stronger challenge for the play-offs this year.
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Oisín Cooney: The teenage Donegal-born goalkeeper joined Burnley from Finn Harps in September after impressing on trial. The League of Ireland side did not receive an up-front transfer fee, but could make a profit from any future sale or should he meet certain clauses in his contract, which runs until 2027, with the option of an additional year.
David Dunne: The 16-year-old joined Monaco from Cork City in June. He had already made his first-team debut against Treaty United in 2024 and turned down a professional contract from the Irish side to sign with the Ligue 1 club, who paid the required compensation fee for his release.
Michael Dike: The 19-year-old goalkeeper left Treaty United to sign for Brighton in June. The Caherdavin native, who made a senior debut for his hometown club against Kerry in 2024 and played nine more times that year, has since linked up with the Premier League club’s U18 side.
Cathal McCarthy and Hugh Parker: McCarthy signed for Hull City along with fellow UCD youngster Parker in February. Both players had got into double figures in terms of First Division appearances for the Students, while McCarthy has already featured three times for the Tigers, starting against Blackburn, coming off the bench away to Bristol City (both games were in August) and featuring as a sixth-minute sub in the 1-0 win at Middlesbrough on Monday.
Sean Patton: The Ireland U19 international joined the Reading academy from Derry City last September. He previously made 30 senior appearances in the League of Ireland, both with the Candystripes and during a loan spell at Finn Harps. Already, the 19-year-old attacker from Letterkenny has made his first-team bow with the Royals, coming off the bench in the 89th minute for the League One side in their 3-0 win at Blackpool last November.
6 who could follow
Shamrock Rovers’ Michael Noonan. Nick Elliott / INPHO
Nick Elliott / INPHO / INPHO
Michael Noonan: The 17-year-old is one of the hottest properties in Irish football, frequently starring for Shamrock Rovers in 2025, as he scored six goals in 30 Premier Division appearances. Man United, Celtic and Man City are among the clubs linked with Noonan, who also impressed for Ireland at the U17s World Cup.
Cathal O’Sullivan: Several Premier League clubs are keeping an eye on the Cork City youngster, though he met with Crystal Palace representatives in May, while Brentford, Celtic and Preston were also reportedly interested. Having been a regular in the Cork first team, an ACL injury suffered against Sligo Rovers has curbed the Ireland U21 international’s progress and put on hold talk of a move for the time being.
Billy O’Neill: The 17-year-old had a hugely impressive season with Bray Wanderers in the First Division. The forward was the club’s leading goalscorer with 11 goals, as they narrowly missed out on promotion, losing the playoff final against Waterford. Premier League scouts as well as clubs from Germany and France are believed to be monitoring the Ireland underage international after an impressive 2025.
Gavin McAteer: McAteer made his debut for Finn Harps aged just 15 and has been part of their academy since he was nine. That appearance meant the Milford native became the club’s youngest-ever player to feature in a league fixture. The midfielder has already had trials with Premier League club Nottingham Forest and Scottish champions Celtic, and was part of the Ireland U17 squad competing at the World Cup in November.
Vinnie Leonard: Another player who impressed for Ireland U17s at the World Cup last November. The teenager made 34 appearances for Dundalk in the First Division last season, and Leonard became the club’s youngest-ever goalscorer at 16. According to reports, Celtic are one of several clubs abroad eyeing a potential move for the centre-back.
Owen Elding: One of the youthful sensations of the 2025 season. The 19-year-old scored 12 goals in 35 Premier Division appearances, despite playing for a Sligo Rovers side that generally struggled and finished two points above the relegation zone in seventh. Born in England, Elding has been living in Ireland since his father, Anthony, signed for Sligo Rovers in 2013 and is in the process of completing the necessary paperwork to represent the Boys in Green. The teenager’s stellar performances domestically have not gone unnoticed, with Juventus, Norwich and Ferencváros among the clubs linked with his signature.
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11 LOI players who sealed moves abroad in 2025 and 6 who could follow
11 who sealed moves abroad
Josh Honohan: The 24-year-old’s rise has been one of the most positive League of Ireland news stories in recent times. As recently as 2021, he was hampered by injuries and only sporadically featured for a Cork City team competing in the First Division. Yet Honohan has made substantial strides since then. When he signed for Shamrock Rovers ahead of the 2024 season, he was widely regarded as a centre-back. But in 94 appearances for the Hoops, in which he scored 10 goals, he played primarily as a left wing-back. Honohan’s form was recognised as he was called up to the Ireland senior squad for the first time before the June friendlies with Senegal and Luxembourg. And ahead of Rovers’ final Uefa Conference League match with Hamrun Spartans, it was confirmed that he had completed a long-anticipated move to Lincoln City. The League One club are vying for promotion, so it’s conceivable that Honohan could be lighting up the Championship and back in the Ireland mix as early as next August.
Mason Melia: The Wicklow teenager secured a move to Tottenham last February, although it doesn’t officially go through until January. The deal for the young striker was €2 million upfront, potentially rising to €4 million. Despite all the hype as a result of this historic deal, Melia still had a fine season with St Patrick’s Athletic, narrowly missing out on the Golden Boot after scoring 13 Premier Division goals from 35 appearances.
Sean Keogh: The 19-year-old left-back left Dundalk to sign for Brighton in August. He has already made 21 First Division appearances and 11 in the top flight before leaving the Lilywhites to sign with the Seagulls. Since then, he has regularly appeared for the English club’s U21 side.
Victor Ozhianvuna: The promising 16-year-old winger’s move to Arsenal was announced in October. However, he will stay at Shamrock Rovers — the club that developed him — until January 2027, when he turns 18. The teenager became the second-youngest player to ever feature in the Uefa Conference League when he played for the Hoops against Molde last February. The Ireland underage international also made 13 Premier Division appearances in 2025.
Neil Farrugia: Farrugia was a big loss to Stephen Bradley’s side when he signed for Barnsley in January 2025. The 26-year-old has since made 30 appearances for the League One outfit, who finished last season 12th in the table, and they will be looking to make a stronger challenge for the play-offs this year.
Oisín Cooney: The teenage Donegal-born goalkeeper joined Burnley from Finn Harps in September after impressing on trial. The League of Ireland side did not receive an up-front transfer fee, but could make a profit from any future sale or should he meet certain clauses in his contract, which runs until 2027, with the option of an additional year.
David Dunne: The 16-year-old joined Monaco from Cork City in June. He had already made his first-team debut against Treaty United in 2024 and turned down a professional contract from the Irish side to sign with the Ligue 1 club, who paid the required compensation fee for his release.
Michael Dike: The 19-year-old goalkeeper left Treaty United to sign for Brighton in June. The Caherdavin native, who made a senior debut for his hometown club against Kerry in 2024 and played nine more times that year, has since linked up with the Premier League club’s U18 side.
Cathal McCarthy and Hugh Parker: McCarthy signed for Hull City along with fellow UCD youngster Parker in February. Both players had got into double figures in terms of First Division appearances for the Students, while McCarthy has already featured three times for the Tigers, starting against Blackburn, coming off the bench away to Bristol City (both games were in August) and featuring as a sixth-minute sub in the 1-0 win at Middlesbrough on Monday.
Sean Patton: The Ireland U19 international joined the Reading academy from Derry City last September. He previously made 30 senior appearances in the League of Ireland, both with the Candystripes and during a loan spell at Finn Harps. Already, the 19-year-old attacker from Letterkenny has made his first-team bow with the Royals, coming off the bench in the 89th minute for the League One side in their 3-0 win at Blackpool last November.
6 who could follow
Michael Noonan: The 17-year-old is one of the hottest properties in Irish football, frequently starring for Shamrock Rovers in 2025, as he scored six goals in 30 Premier Division appearances. Man United, Celtic and Man City are among the clubs linked with Noonan, who also impressed for Ireland at the U17s World Cup.
Cathal O’Sullivan: Several Premier League clubs are keeping an eye on the Cork City youngster, though he met with Crystal Palace representatives in May, while Brentford, Celtic and Preston were also reportedly interested. Having been a regular in the Cork first team, an ACL injury suffered against Sligo Rovers has curbed the Ireland U21 international’s progress and put on hold talk of a move for the time being.
Billy O’Neill: The 17-year-old had a hugely impressive season with Bray Wanderers in the First Division. The forward was the club’s leading goalscorer with 11 goals, as they narrowly missed out on promotion, losing the playoff final against Waterford. Premier League scouts as well as clubs from Germany and France are believed to be monitoring the Ireland underage international after an impressive 2025.
Gavin McAteer: McAteer made his debut for Finn Harps aged just 15 and has been part of their academy since he was nine. That appearance meant the Milford native became the club’s youngest-ever player to feature in a league fixture. The midfielder has already had trials with Premier League club Nottingham Forest and Scottish champions Celtic, and was part of the Ireland U17 squad competing at the World Cup in November.
Vinnie Leonard: Another player who impressed for Ireland U17s at the World Cup last November. The teenager made 34 appearances for Dundalk in the First Division last season, and Leonard became the club’s youngest-ever goalscorer at 16. According to reports, Celtic are one of several clubs abroad eyeing a potential move for the centre-back.
Owen Elding: One of the youthful sensations of the 2025 season. The 19-year-old scored 12 goals in 35 Premier Division appearances, despite playing for a Sligo Rovers side that generally struggled and finished two points above the relegation zone in seventh. Born in England, Elding has been living in Ireland since his father, Anthony, signed for Sligo Rovers in 2013 and is in the process of completing the necessary paperwork to represent the Boys in Green. The teenager’s stellar performances domestically have not gone unnoticed, with Juventus, Norwich and Ferencváros among the clubs linked with his signature.
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