Five transfer moves that would benefit Irish players.
Several Republic of Ireland players could be on the move this summer as they aim to push on in their respective careers and nail down regular starting spots in Stephen Kenny’s team.
Ahead of the transfer window opening, here are five potential moves involving Irish players, and the ideal club for each player.
Gavin Bazunu – Newcastle United.
Gavin Bazunu enjoyed a successful loan spell at Portsmouth last season. The Manchester City goalkeeper kept an impressive 16 clean sheets in 44 appearances in League One.
The Republic of Ireland goalkeeper won Pompey’s club player-of-the-year as they finished 10th in England’s third tier.
However, the club’s manager Danny Cowley said they have no chance of signing the goalkeeper again next season, as the Irishman is destined for the Premier League.
Bazunu is set to hold talks with Man City ahead of the summer transfer window about his future. The 20-year-old, who is contracted at the Etihad until June 2024, is wanted by several clubs.
Premier League sides Bournemouth and Southampton are reportedly interested in taking the Dubliner on loan, whilst Everton are exploring the option of signing Bazunu on a permanent basis.
Man City are understood to be keen to keep Bazunu under contract. But if they do opt to sell him this summer. Newcastle United could be an ideal move.
Newcastle’s current goalkeeper, Martin Dubravka, is not a long-term first choice and the club are expected to sign an upgrade in the summer.
Bazunu has the credentials to be the ball-playing goalkeeper that Newcastle are crying out for. The 20-year-old would represent an excellent signing for the ambitious club. The Magpies are also surely a more attractive team to sign for than the previously mentioned Premier League sides given the financial backing Newcastle are likely to receive over the next few years.
Troy Parrott – Watford.
Troy Parrott’s performances in 2022 for MK Dons were exceptional after his career temporarily stalled. The Dubliner was touted as the ‘next Robbie Keane’ in Tottenham Hotspur’s academy, before having lacklustre loan spells at Millwall and Ipswich Town.
This year, the 20-year-old has been in a rich run of form and he scored the Dons only goal against Wycombe Wanderers in the play-offs on Sunday.
Parrott scored 10 goals for MK Dons before being knocked out at the play-off semi-final stage. Parrott was an integral part of the Dons finishing third in League One this season.
On the international front, Parrott scored a spectacular last-minute winner for Ireland against Lithuania in March.
The Spurs striker will be on the radar of Championship clubs during the summer transfer window following his successful loan spell at the Stadium MK.
Watford would be a great fit for Parrott as they are set to lose attackers Ismaila Sarr and Emmanuel Dennis following their relegation to the Championship.
Parrott’s flexibility along the front line would be a great asset for Watford next season. If the Hornets can provide the Dubliner with regular game time, he could be a fan favourite at Vicarage Road.
Jason Knight – Leeds United.
Jason Knight was arguably Derby County’s best player last season, with Wayne Rooney labelling the youngster’s attitude as ‘infectious.’ Derby were relegated but Knight stood out with his performances.
The Republic of Ireland international was ever-present in Derby’s midfield last season. Knight made 38 appearances for the Rams, scoring three goals, and providing two assists.
Rooney praised the midfielder for his work rate off the ball and said it motivated the players around him to work harder. The January transfer window saw three Premier League clubs take an interest in the midfielder.
Newcastle, Leeds United, and Burnley were all said to have explored the option of signing Knight.
Leeds would represent the perfect opportunity for Knight at this current juncture of his career, as star player Raphinha looks set to depart the club in the Summer.
Regardless of which division Leeds are playing their football in next season. Knight could fill the void left by the Brazilian international in midfield for a reasonable price, considering the Rams will be playing League One football next season.
Connor Ronan – St. Pauli.
Connor Ronan has enjoyed a successful loan spell at St. Mirren last season. The Wolves loanee has scored seven goals and made four assists in 27 appearances in the Scottish Premiership.
The Republic of Ireland midfielder had loan spells in Slovakia and Switzerland before making signing for the Buddies.
It has been reported a host of Scottish clubs are interested in Ronan for next season, including Hibernian, Hearts, and Aberdeen, who are managed by former St. Mirren boss Jim Goodwin.
German side St. Pauli, who play in the Bundesliga 2, are also said to be interested in the 24-year-old.
St. Pauli would represent a high-risk high-reward option for Ronan, as they are 5th in the league and chasing promotion to the Bundesliga.
If the move was to be a success. Ronan, potentially, could play in Germany’s top flight at some point. It would be a major boost to his international aspirations as the Ireland boss is already a fan of the playmaker.
Conor Coventry – Hull City.
West Ham United midfielder Conor Coventry enjoyed a successful loan spell at MK Dons during the second half of last season following a mixed loan at Peterborough United during the first half of the campaign.
Coventry only made four starts for Peterborough during his 12 appearances in the Championship However, he excelled at MK Dons, making 22 appearances as the club finished third in League One but lost in the play-offs.
The West Ham midfielder will be looking to add to his experiences next season, with another loan move on the cards. Coventry could be best suited to a move to Hull City in the Championship.
The Tigers finished 19th in the Championship under Shota Arveladze. The 22-year-old could fill the void left by outgoing central midfielder Liam Walsh, who was on loan from Swansea City.
Coventry would benefit greatly from a loan spell at the KC Stadium next season, playing Championship football week-in-week-out, which would put him on Kenny’s radar.
He is a ball-playing midfielder and would be ideally suited to the national team’s style of play if he can get regular minutes at a high level.
Related links:
- Troy Parrott bids farewell to MK Dons following play-off defeat to Wycombe.
- Joey Barton comments on Glenn Whelan’s future following Bristol Rovers promotion.
- Wayne Rooney hails ‘infectious’ Jason Knight following Blackpool display.
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