DERRY CITY HAVE confirmed the signings of Northern Ireland U21 central midfielder Jake Dunwoody and English striker Ibrahim Meite, who recently parted ways with Championship club Stoke and League Two Crawley respectively.
Dunwoody captained Stoke’s second string in the Premier League 2 during the season just passed, scoring three goals in 18 appearances, but couldn’t quite make a first-team breakthrough under Michael O’Neill and so swapped the Potters’ red and white stripes for those of the Derry variety.
The 21-year-old joined Stoke from Manchester City five years ago, making over 50 appearances for the former’s reserves in the interim.
He will be a familiar face to new club team-mates Eoin Toal and Nathan Gartside, with whom he plays for the North’s 21s.
Derry manager Declan Devine said of the recruitment:
I spoke to [NI manager, former NI U21s manager] Ian Baraclough about Jake. I’ve known him for a while in the Northern Ireland setup. He’s quality — really looking forward to seeing him playing. Baraclough thinks it’s a great idea for him to play at that standard with Derry City.
“He gives us great options in the middle of the park.”
Meite, who turns 24 next month, joined Bulgarian side OFC Pirin Blagoevgrad — managed by ex-Linfield player Warren Feeney — just days before national lockdowns began in March. With football postponed, the move was canned and the striker was subsequently released by Crawley at the end of the League Two season.
The dual English-Ivorian citizen plays up top or from out wide, and was signed for Cardiff City by Neil Warnock in January 2017 before joining Crawley on a free transfer two years later.
“He’s very strong, very direct — exactly what we need,” said Devine. “Somebody to lead the line.”
