2025 Arrivals and Departures

[TVFBLOCKF]

What was the issue that he didn’t sign for Galway ?

Seemingly it was going to involve Moses Dyer going to Derry but then he decided to go to Cambodia so that was the end of that.

[nigel-harps1954]

Harps sign Dutch forward Hans Mpongo

Great name, even if he turns out to be crap at football.

[Longfordian]

Where do all these random foreign lads live out of curiosity? Do Harps put them up somewhere?

[patsdad]

Hoban’s lack of minutes had signalled likely issues behind the scenes so I can’t help but wonder is there a situation at Pats & Forrester. They are massively underperforming but their star man who should be over his injury at this stage but only gets a few minutes off the bench…….


Not at all. It was a bad injury and he’s just working his way back to full fitness.

[Martinho II]

Jake O'Brien, Killian Phillips, Sinclair Armstrong.

I actually forgot that our very own Davy Savage left LTFC to join Millwall in 1994 and later joined Northampton Town.He won a few ROI senior caps under Mick McCarthy who signed him in the 1st place!

[nigel-harps1954]

Where do all these random foreign lads live out of curiosity? Do Harps put them up somewhere?

They'll all live together in a house in ballybofey. Theyre effectively replacing others who have already left.

[ger121]

I see Pohls has left Rovers. Bit surprised at that. Does not say where he has gone.

https://www.irishmirror.ie/sport/soccer/soccer-news/shamrock-rovers-keeper-leaves-after-35581305

[MoydowMonty]

I see Pohls has left Rovers. Bit surprised at that. Does not say where he has gone.

https://www.irishmirror.ie/sport/soccer/soccer-news/shamrock-rovers-keeper-leaves-after-35581305

Not surprised at all. He's better than the bench imo. I know McGinty was probably an upgrade but I'd have been a bit peeed off if I were him when McGinty came in and immediately took the spot against Molde after he did so well in group stage. Another premier div club will be happy to have him, if he even wants to stay in Ireland.

Tulloch has left Shels for Portadown

[pineapple stu]

Seán Brennan signs for Bray

Great signing for them, and a big blow to our playoff chances. Been one of our best players this season

[Nah Nah Nah Nah]

Jack Henry Francis signs for Shels. Shocked he’s ended up back in the LOI.

[TVFBLOCKF]

That's a great signing for them, he's quality. I thought he would at least get a move to the Championship after coming from Arsenal's academy.

[ger121]

Seán Brennan signs for Bray

Great signing for them, and a big blow to our playoff chances. Been one of our best players this season

Saw this the other day. Big loss alright. He has been one of your better players this season.

[2 Year Contract]

Ben McCormack has signed for Wexford on loan, a great pickup for them. He should do well in the FD and hopefully find some form again.


That's a great signing for them, he's quality. I thought he would at least get a move to the Championship after coming from Arsenal's academy.

No chance any Championship club would sign a lad that’s turning 22 in a few months when their only senior experience is 11 league of Ireland games. Dont get me wrong he looks a really good player at LOI level, but he seems to have suffered from a combination of injuries and bad career advice to not get out on a few more loans earlier. One of the many that fall into the trap of getting too comfortable at a big English club and end up moving to a much lower level than that club’s first team after leaving without that crucial first team experience aspect that the next club signing them look for

[da bishop]

Seán Brennan signs for Bray

Great signing for them, and a big blow to our playoff chances. Been one of our best players this season
massive loss best footballer in the division imo.

[2 Year Contract]

Josh Keeley has signed for Luton Town from Spurs for a million quid. Pats had a 15% sell on clause when they sold him to spurs so have come out with a nice extra bit of cash from it. Not quite the windfall Bohs will get from the Evan Ferguson to Roma transfer but still every little helps

[oriel]

Josh Keeley has signed for Luton Town from Spurs for a million quid. Pats had a 15% sell on clause when they sold him to spurs so have come out with a nice extra bit of cash from it. Not quite the windfall Bohs will get from the Evan Ferguson to Roma transfer but still every little helps

Ferguson is a loan deal with an option to buy, so unless Roma complete the perm move at some point Bohs not entitled to anything, plus Roma under no obligations to buy. That said still a nice % for Bohs to have but his value seems to have dipped a lot from the 40M -50M height, seems its 'only' 25m now, again a nice %.

[total hoofball]

Whether Roma ever take up that option to sign Ferguson is a debate for later in the Serie A season but if Roma do take up that option €40M @ rumoured 15% Bohs would be looking at a €6M windfall which is basically like qualifying for the group stages of the Europa or Conference League not to be sniffed at for Bohs and it would tide them over nicely when they are playing away from Dalymount during it's redevelopment

[placid casual]

That's a big IF, tbh.
He hasn't come on in his career since his initial breakthrough at Brighton , and playing in Serie A is no picnic for strikers!
He needs to get his career going or he'll end up back at boez in a few years.

[joey B]

Dara McGuinness heading to Galway,hopefully not a loan !!!!

[TVFBLOCKF]

What do Harps fans think about McGuinness? Good enough to make the step up?

[joey B]

What do Harps fans think about McGuinness? Good enough to make the step up?

He looked like he was better than the First Division anyway,had an extra yard of pace that usually stands out at that level ,the step up is very big though so time will tell…..

[Jolly Red Giant]

Ferguson is a loan deal with an option to buy, so unless Roma complete the perm move at some point Bohs not entitled to anything, plus Roma under no obligations to buy. That said still a nice % for Bohs to have but his value seems to have dipped a lot from the 40M -50M height, seems its 'only' 25m now, again a nice %.
£25m was the figure that Roma were offering in an obligation to buy - the clubs settled on a €40m option to buy deal instead.

[nigel-harps1954]

What do Harps fans think about McGuinness? Good enough to make the step up?

Quality player if he can stay injury free. Think he would have went on to comfortably score 10-15 goals this season if things had worked out better at Harps.

[Neish]

What do Harps fans think about McGuinness? Good enough to make the step up?

Was great in the first round of games but barely played since Easter, has a burst of pace and a decent finisher. Hard to say though have seen strikers score freely in the first division but struggle in the Premier

[sessylU]

£25m was the figure that Roma were offering in an obligation to buy - the clubs settled on a €40m option to buy deal instead.

It might be upthread somewhere, or maybe it's common knowledge, but do we know what the percentage is on the sell-on clause?

[culloty82]

10%, if and when a permanent deal ever happens.

[Another Bohemia]

10%, if and when a permanent deal ever happens.

I've heard it's higher than that

[2 Year Contract]

Cork have announced that Malik Dijksteel has agreed to sign for St Mirren in January after his contract with Cork is up. Pretty strange signing for them considering he probably wouldn’t start for any top half LOI side

[total hoofball]

Cork have announced that Malik Dijksteel has agreed to sign for St Mirren in January after his contract with Cork is up. Pretty strange signing for them considering he probably wouldn’t start for any top half LOI side

According to transfermarkt Dijksteel shares the same agent as former LOI players Roland Idowu and Tunmise Sobowale who are also with St. Mirren

https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/eyeconic-sports-management-ltd/beraterfirma/berater/4775/plus/1

[2 Year Contract]

Shels have signed Dutch keeper Wessel Speel on loan from Minnesota. Presumably Conor Kearns is goosed after going off injured last week

[sessylU]

10%, if and when a permanent deal ever happens.

That's a decent lump, then. Good to see a handful of clubs having solid lumps of capital come in, between this, Melia, and Shamseses' European exploits. I'm not an advocate of trickle down economics exactly, but you'd hope that this money bounces its way around the football ecosystem on the island.

Suppose we should enjoy it, I'm sure the buckets will be out again soon enough...

[total hoofball]

Shels have signed Dutch keeper Wessel Speel on loan from Minnesota. Presumably Conor Kearns is goosed after going off injured last week
O'Brien has confirmed Kearns has pulled hamstring and it will be a few weeks before he is back, hopefully that could still be in-time for the 1st leg of whichever Q3 round tie we end up in

Lorcan Healy is starting tomorrow night, whether Speel ever plays in these European games for Shels will depend on his training performances and if Healy doesn't make mistakes

[holidaysong]

Seán Keogh leaving Dundalk for Brighton for a 6 figure sum.

https://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2025/0722/1524800-dundalk-to-receive-record-fee-for-keogh-from-brighton/

[Nesta99]

That could be about €1000.01 or a cent short of 1m. Im guessing 130k + a few add ons. Im sure the actual definite exact figure is already doing the rounds. Its great for Sean, deserved!! A loss at a bad time, I was hoping that it could be a buy and loan back until January. That said it doe allow some hand strengthening with a few extra Euro available. Everyones demands have just gone up a few hundred percent.

The RTE headline is fun 'record fee' will get clicks but its of course the record Dundalk fee.

[oriel]

I think Dundalk's previous record was 100k for Staunton in 1991 but that was only as a sell on cut from 1.1m or so when he moved from Liverpool to Villa, think he left for 20k as he was only a youth and in those days transfers were very low, Keane was same from Cobh around that time. Tony Cousins also moved to Liverpool around 1990, wasn't a huge figure if i remember, def under 100k.

Only other high fee recent times was Dylan Connolly, 50k or so to MK Dons, not sure what Archie Davies went for when he joined Carlisle, under 50k I think, on the SK era any big moves Horgan, Boyle, Towell all left when contracts were up so zero €. Hoban went for 25-30k to Derry and Shields was around 20 or so to Linfield, both not too long left on contracts, age thing too.

For Sean Keogh, no idea what figure is, hopefully over 200k, but more important will be a sell on % which I hope the club has negotiated.

Very good opportunity for him, he's a smashing player and current Ireland u19 starter too, being a left full and left footed gives him a good chance, I just think though that Irish players are better off going to championship, less pressure, but if he's good enough, he's........

[Nesta99]

I know times are different but the low up front fee for Staunton was also because the club in a panic got him to sign a pro contract in the hours (supposedly the evening) before he was to sign for Liverpool so the club would get something. The main earner was expected to be the old friendly clause. Liverpool were pretty decent about it considering they didnt need to inform Dundalk for a youth player or maybe even in general at the time pre Bosman or training comp. Who tipped off the club...

[Nah Nah Nah Nah]

Connor Malley gone to Shams on loan. Had thrown his toys out of the pram this season after he couldn’t go there in the off season so won’t be missed by us. Was really good for us last season.

[oriel]

Couldn't believe this when I saw he went to Sham Rovers, even on loan, thought he had talent when at Dundalk, but came across quite a lazy player and was really poor in euro games.

Attitude not great either, especially when he / team lost the ball, almost at walking pace.

Sometimes though players go through massive ups and downs, Will Patching was another, was brilliant and rubbish in 2 or 3 spells with us, think he was hot and cold at Derry also, but Malley seems a different case, Bradzer obv seems something in him.

[WeAreRovers]

Thought Malley was easily the stand out player in that Dundalk team and impressed me for Sligo too. We tried to get him in the winter but Sligo's price plus the signing of Matt Healy put an end to it. Happy to have him effectively for free now.

[redobit]

Thought Malley was easily the stand out player in that Dundalk team and impressed me for Sligo too. We tried to get him in the winter but Sligo's price plus the signing of Matt Healy put an end to it. Happy to have him effectively for free now.

Pressure on Malley now, no match experience or training this season. Threw the toys out of the pram. Both clubs have got what they wanted in a round about way. He's off our books and free up a wage. Shamrock can see him now without offering a long contract.

Dundalk fan said it on here when he came to us, and he was right. Good player but will end in tears with his attitude.

[Kiki Balboa]

Kind of player that Shels badly needed.

Its no coincidence that once he stopped playing for Dundalk and Sligo, they slipped into the relegation zone.

A really valuable player, although his form suggests you get 12 months of it before it drops off.

[2 Year Contract]

Kind of player that Shels badly needed.

Its no coincidence that once he stopped playing for Dundalk and Sligo, they slipped into the relegation zone.

A really valuable player, although his form suggests you get 12 months of it before it drops off.

Once he stopped playing for Sligo their results and performances have been much better of late, having been bottom of the table while he was in the side.

From the outside looking in, his attitude appears to stink and it wouldn’t surprise me if rovers don’t sign him on a permanent at the end of the season and he moves over to a National League club in England in January. Aside from the attitude, while he’s a good player on his day, I don’t see him getting enough minutes to impress when he’s at a club with the midfield options of Watts, Healy, O'Neill, McEneff, Nugent, Byrne, Mandroiu plus some promising young players

[Kiki Balboa]

Once he stopped playing for Sligo their results and performances have been much better of late, having been bottom of the table while he was in the side

I meant metaphorically, he stopped playing at the start of the season.

[Nesta99]

He sulks, not one for either a relegation or title battle, cause he wont break swet unless he feels like it. He could be good if there are others around him that will do the graft and cover the space he leaves and what he offers with creativity and technical ability might outweigh him being a bit of passenger. Buckets of potential but even if he starts well he fades or bores. A good half season might suit, especially when needing bodies when in 3 comps. Patching is a fair comparison but Patching goes missing for spells in games, Malley just doesnt bother dependig on his mood. This is like a long trial, and he could do well but given a 2 year deal and he'll fall back to old ways - needs to be on a minimum contract with performance bonuses but he'd think he was too good for that. He'll turn in to a Hery and do the IL circuit after 1st Division.

[total hoofball]

Malley on loan for a little over 3 months is not that much risk for Rovers almost like a trial period for a decent player, if there is any issues with him he'll at the back of the stand and blacklisted in the LOI for the rest of his career

[placid casual]

He sulks, not one for either a relegation or title battle, cause he wont break swet unless he feels like it. He could be good if there are others around him that will do the graft and cover the space he leaves and what he offers with creativity and technical ability might outweigh him being a bit of passenger. Buckets of potential but even if he starts well he fades or bores. A good half season might suit, especially when needing bodies when in 3 comps. Patching is a fair comparison but Patching goes missing for spells in games, Malley just doesnt bother dependig on his mood. This is like a long trial, and he could do well but given a 2 year deal and he'll fall back to old ways - needs to be on a minimum contract with performance bonuses but he'd think he was too good for that. He'll turn in to a Hery and do the IL circuit after 1st Division.

So, to sum it up, you have high hopes for him yeah !?

[Thewhitepele]

Connor Malley gone to Shams on loan. Had thrown his toys out of the pram this season after he couldn’t go there in the off season so won’t be missed by us. Was really good for us last season.

I think he will be good for Shams. He was good for Sligo Rovers when Morahan or Jack Henry-Francis were beside him doing the dirty work. Was a real frustration this season when he was expected to track back. Bit of a luxury type player but in a good squad he should do well. Glad he is gone from Sligo Rovers tho - we needed him off the wage bill.

[Dermobohs]

Strange signing for me. Can’t see who he displaces in that rovers midfield? And a sulker? Won’t get much change out of Bradley, for whom team is everything.

[2 Year Contract]

Waterford have signed 18 year old winger Josh Miles from Blackpool for an undisclosed fee. The highest level he’s played first team football at is England’s 6th tier so a bit of a random one, although I guess Fleetwood have been watching him and probably want him to play over here to see how he gets on and will send him over their way if he’s any use

[Nesta99]

So, to sum it up, you have high hopes for him yeah !?

I had! But it wasnt long before people could see why he wasnt playing at a level that was equaly to his ability. If it had been one club fair enough, but did exactly the same at Sligo, and prior to both. Im sure he will be good at Rovers this season but no I woldnt back him as a long term cover for Rover midfield. Im sure Rovers fans will be thinking its Rovers we'll get a tune out of him, well Rovers is his 7th club and he is 25 so its sh1t or bust for him. Seeing such ability totally wasted is frustrating!