SHAMROCK ROVERS HAVE accepted an improved offer from Blackpool for wing-back Andy Lyons, though he won’t join the Championship club until next January and will be available for the remainder of the League of Ireland season.
Rovers are odds-on favourites to tie up a third-straight league title, while they are also in the quarter finals of the FAI Cup and the group phase of the Europa Conference League. Lyons will be available for all of these matches before he moves to England.
Lyons was subject to interest from Blackpool earlier this summer, overtures resisted by Rovers. Now, however, they have accepted an improved offer with what Rovers describe as “significant with the potential for additional performance-based benefits.”
The Irish U21 international signed from Bohemians ahead of the 2022 season and has been a revelation at left wing-back, scoring the winning goals for Rovers against Ferencvaros and against Drogheda this week alone. Lyons has scored eight goals and directly created another six already this season.
Blackpool, meanwhile, are 13th in the early-season Championship table, with eight points from six games.
“After initial approaches were declined, Shamrock Rovers F.C. has accepted an offer from English Championship club Blackpool F.C. for the transfer of full back Andy Lyons”, read a Rovers statement. “Crucially for Rovers, the transfer will not take place until January 2023. Andy has been with the club for eight months having signed to play as a full-time professional with European football opportunities and has excelled in his relatively short time at Rovers.
“The undisclosed fee is significant with the potential for additional performance-based benefits accruing subject to Shamrock Rovers F.C. over the term.”