MANSFIELD TOWN HAVE added to their Irish contingent by completing the signing of Aaron O’Driscoll.
The 21-year-old centre-back from Dublin has signed a two-year contract after impressing while on trial at the League Two club.
O’Driscoll joins Mansfield as a free agent, having seen a four-year spell at Southampton come to an end following the conclusion of the 2019-20 Premier League season.
Although he didn’t make a first-team appearance for the Saints, he was vastly experienced at U23 level and captained the side in his final outing back in February before the season was brought to a premature halt by Covid-19.
“As a central defender, Aaron will cover and compete for a first-team place,” said Dubliner Graham Coughlan, Mansfield Town’s manager.
“He is comfortable on the ball, as you would expect from someone coming from Southampton’s academy. Aaron has lots of potential and with some suitable coaching we might just have a top player on our hands.
“Obviously a pattern is beginning to emerge as to the route we’re going down as a club, with young, hungry, emerging talent, which is why our senior players will be vital leaders to our young players this season.”
Alongside the likes of Aaron Connolly, Lee O’Connor and Dara O’Shea, O’Driscoll has been capped by the Republic of Ireland up to U19 level.
He’s the third ex-Irish underage international to be brought to Mansfield following Coughlan’s appointment as manager last December.
Midfielder Harry Charsley joined the Stags in January after being released by Everton, while versatile defender/midfielder Corey O’Keeffe was snapped up last week following his departure from Birmingham City.
Defenders Ryan Sweeney and James Clarke, who also earned underage caps for Ireland, have been on the books at the One Call Stadium since before Coughlan’s arrival.
O’Driscoll, who played schoolboy football for Cherry Orchard, was signed by Southampton in 2016 after a stint at Manchester City.
His father, Maurice, was a League of Ireland Premier Division winner with St Patrick’s Athletic under Brian Kerr in 1990 before going on to join Bohemians.
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