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Players from Italy, Brazil and France among 20 new arrivals to the League of Ireland

These newcomers will be getting their first taste of the SSE Airtricity League in the 2017 season, which starts on Friday.

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Alex O’Hanlon (St Patrick’s Athletic)

Having spent five years in the academy at Liverpool, the 20-year-old Dubliner — a left-sided midfielder who has also played as a full-back — is looking to kickstart his career at home.

Alon Netzer (Derry City)

The versatile 23-year-old defender is eligible to play to represent both Israel and Romania. He completed his move to Derry this week from Romanian top-flight club ASA Târgu Mureș.

Bastien Hery (Limerick)

A midfielder who came through the ranks at Paris Saint-Germain, Hery heads to Shannonside from Accrington Stanley. The 24-year-old Frenchman has previously played for Sheffield Wednesday, Rochdale and Carlisle United.

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Caolan McAleer (Finn Harps)

The 23-year-old winger from Strabane, who started his career with Linfiield, has linked up with Finn Harps after five years in Scotland, where he had spells with the likes of Partick Thistle, East Fife and Greenock Morton.

Christian Nanetti (Cork City)

John Caulfiield’s side have yet to officially announce the signing of the Italian winger, but he’s expected to move to Turner’s Cross after leaving Welling United, who play in the National League South in England. The 25-year-old came through the academy at QPR.

Conor Clifford (Dundalk)

Another Dubliner coming home in an attempt to resurrect his career, Clifford joins the Premier Division champions from English National League outfit Boreham Wood. The 25-year-old midfielder captained Chelsea to win the FA Youth Cup in 2010. A former Irish U21 international who has previously been included in the senior squad.

Conor Clifford Conor Clifford Ryan Byrne / INPHO Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO

Graham Burke (Shamrock Rovers)

The Hoops will hope that Burke can score the goals that can push them back into Premier Division title contention. The 23-year-old Dublin-born striker was unable to make a first-team breakthrough at Aston Villa, before moving on to have spells with Shrewsbury Town and Notts County.

Jonah Ayunga (Sligo Rovers)

A 19-year-old English-born striker who has been called up by Kenya’s senior national team, Ayunga joins Sligo on loan for the season from Brighton & Hove Albion.

Kyle Callan-McFadden (Sligo Rovers)

The 21-year-old Donegal native is hoping that the League of Ireland can be a launchpad for his career after he returned home from Orlando City. Callan-McFadden, a central defender, won the FA Youth Cup with Norwich City but was released by the Canaries in 2015.

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Matt Stevens (Sligo Rovers)

At 16, Stevens became Barnet’s youngest ever player and goalscorer. Swansea City had a bid for Stevens rejected in 2015. The striker, who’s now 19, signed a three-year deal with Peterborough United last year. He’ll stay at the Showgrounds on loan until 30 June.

Mikhail Kennedy (Derry City)

The Northern Ireland U21 striker, who made his debut for Charlton Athletic in 2014, has moved back to his native Derry on loan until June.

Nicky Low (Derry City)

Another loan signing for the Candystripes, the 25-year-old Scottish midfielder — who began his career with Aberdeen — makes a temporary move to Derry from Dundee.

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Rimvydas Sadauskas (Cork City)

Following the departure of key central defender Kenny Browne for Waterford, the FAI Cup holders yesterday completed the signing of the Lithuanian U21 international defender on loan from Stumbras until the summer.

Rodrigo Tosi (Limerick)

The 34-year-old Brazilian striker has played in Brazil, Switzerland, Greece, Singapore, Indonesia and Iran during a 15-year professional career. Tosi played in Lausanne’s defeat to FC Basel in the 2010 Swiss Cup final, before winning the Swiss Challenge League — Switzerland’s second tier — with the club a year later. He also won a top-flight league medal with Esteghlal in Iran in 2013.

Ronan Murray (Galway United)

A native of Mayo, Murray joined the academy at Ipswich Town at the age of 16. The former Ireland U21 striker played regularly during three seasons at Notts County before leaving the club when his contract ended last summer.

Russia Soccer Europa League Rodrigo Tosi AP / Press Association Images AP / Press Association Images / Press Association Images

Sam Bone (Shamrock Rovers)

The versatile 19-year-old, who can play at the back and in midfield, started his career at Charlton Athletic. He’s returning to football after battling cancer last year but has now been given the all-clear to play again.

Shane Griffin (Cork City)

The Cork native can play across the back four and is home on Leeside after spending the last few years at Reading. Now 22, Griffin is a former Ireland U21 international.

Thibaut Molinatti (Limerick)

A Swedish full-back who can play on both sides of the defence, 22-year-old Molinatti joins Limerick from Enskede, who play in Sweden’s third tier.

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Tomer Chencinski (Shamrock Rovers)

The 32-year-old goalkeeper, who has been capped at senior level by Canada, will compete with Kevin Horgan for a starting berth this season in Tallaght. Chencinski has previously played for the likes of Maccabi Tel-Aviv and Helsingborg.

Tommy Robson (Limerick)

The 21-year-old Sunderland left-back, who started for the Black Cats against Watford in the Premier League last season, will stay with Martin Russell’s side until the summer.

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Paul Dollery
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