JACK BYRNE HAS confirmed his decision to leave League of Ireland Premier Division champions Shamrock Rovers.
Byrne, whose contract expired at the end of the 2020 season, had been offered a new deal to stay with the Tallaght outfit.
However, amid significant interest from elsewhere, the 24-year-old playmaker announced this afternoon that he’s moving on “with the heaviest of hearts” after two hugely successful seasons with the Hoops.
Byrne has been linked with several English Championship clubs, but Cypriot outfit APOEL Nicosia – managed by former Republic of Ireland boss Mick McCarthy – are believed to be the frontrunners to land his signature.
The talented Dubliner concluded an emotional statement posted on Instagram by explaining that his new club will be revealed “in the coming days”.
Following a spell in Scotland with Kilmarnock, Byrne joined Shamrock Rovers ahead of the 2019 season and helped the club to win the FAI Cup for the first time in 32 years.
A League of Ireland Premier Division title followed in 2020, with the Rovers star becoming the first man since Jason Byrne in 2004 to claim back-to-back PFAI Players’ Player of the Year awards.
There has also been recognition at international level. Byrne has won four senior caps for Ireland since Mick McCarthy handed him a debut in a friendly against Bulgaria in September 2019.
