IT LOOKS LIKE Christmas may have come early for Richie Towell this year.
With their first child due in early December, he and his girlfiend Kelly are currently in the process of buying a house in Ireland.
And the newly-crowned PFAI Player of the Year is set to add a new football club to that list once negotiations over his future are finalised in the coming days, as expected.
After winning the double with Dundalk and finishing top scorer in the Premier Division with 25 goals, the Dubliner is on the brink of ending his three-year spell in the League of Ireland.
“It’s something I need to stay patient with, let it run its course,” the midfielder said after winning SSE Airtricity/Soccer Writers’ Association of Ireland Player of the Month for a third time this season.
“It’s just in negotiations now. It’s just going back and forth. Obviously, clubs want to get you for as cheap as they can. I want to get as much as I can. You have to find a happy medium.”
Championship high-flyers Brighton & Hove Albion, these days managed by former Ireland international Chris Hughton, have been mooted as front-runners and the Seagulls would appear to be the perfect fit for the highly-ambitious 24-year-old.
“They are one of the clubs that is interested along with others that I’ve had progressed talks with, so it’s not just one club that I’m adamant I’m going to,” said Towell.
“They are a good club that has good pedigree and has a lovely stadium and things like that. But, obviously, playing football is very important to me as well. I just have to weigh everything up and see which one would be the best move.
I’m still just weighing up everything. Dundalk, as well, they are still in the picture. I’m not ruling anything out because it’s not done until it is signed on the dotted line.”
The interest extends beyond the UK, and Towell mentions Turkey, Poland an the US as possible destinations — although England remains his first choice even if life in America sounds enticing.
“My agents spoke about the States to me and said that it’s not going to be that rewarding financially but as a lifestyle for bringing up a family and the things they have over there, it would be great,” Towell adds.
“You finish training and head down to the beach to go swimming and that. It would be a great lifestyle but at the moment I’m focused on the football and I want to push myself on in my career.
“So maybe the best step would be going to England.”
Wherever Towell ends up, he plans to hit the ground running and make an immediate impact in first team football.
“No matter where I go I want to go straight in and play. I know that’s probably not realistic either. The manager, no matter what team it’s at, will have his team and his players but I don’t think he’ll be bringing me in to play reserve football.
“I’m 24 now and I’d like to imagine that I’d be in contention straight away.
“Obviously I’d have to play a few games in the reserves to get some football. I haven’t played for a couple of weeks so if it was a case I moved over I’m sure I’d have to play some reserve games to get my match sharpness back.
“Hopefully then I can push my way into any team that I do go to.”
Four years ago, a young winger named James McClean forced his way into Giovanni Trapattoni’s squad for Euro 2012 just months after making the switch from Derry City to Sunderland.
And with Ireland’s place at next year’s finals in France now assured, does Towell believe he could do something similar if his move goes to plan?
Don’t get me wrong, I’d love to be a player that goes to the Euros,” he replies. “Any footballer would dream of representing their country but I’ve never been in a squad and lads have put in the hard graft to get them there.
“So for me to think that I’m going to go is a bit unrealistic, but at the same time if I did go and play in the Championship and I was scoring goals it would be a difficult decision for the manager to leave me out.”
If the call from Martin O’Neill did come, however, Towell is in no doubt that he could handle the step up to senior international football.
“Yeah, no problem. I’ve played in Euro Championships before with the U21s, U19s and U17s so this is just another progression in my career.
“I was able to do it then when I was only a kid so I don’t see why I wouldn’t be able to do it now.”
