Updated at 17.30
QPR HAVE SIGNED Ireland U19 international Ryan Manning on a two-and-a-half year deal.
The Premier League club have beaten competition from several other clubs for the signature of the highly-rated 18-year-old forward, who helped Galway United win promotion from the SSE Airtricity League First Division last season — scoring against UCD in both play-off games.
Rs boss Harry Redknapp is delighted with the arrival and says he has high hopes for the teenager.
“Ryan is a young lad who has been chased by a number of top clubs in the Premier League,” Redknapp said. “We have managed to secure him and bring him here, so we’re delighted with that.
“He is a busy player who can play off the left or in behind the striker. He is still young and has a lot to learn but it’s a good gamble for us to take.
“I think he feels he has got a real chance of playing for us here, and hopefully he will progress with us. We’re certainly pleased to have him.”
Manning, who has three caps for Ireland at U19 level, can’t believe the deal has finally gone through after meeting with Redknapp and Head of Football Operations Les Ferdinand.
“It feels like a dream come true – it’s all very surreal at the moment,” explained the Galway native.
“There were a few clubs interested, but when I came over and met with the manager and Les (Ferdinand), I was in no doubt that I wanted to move to QPR.
“We spoke at length about QPR and what they thought of me as a player and it just seemed like a really good fit for everyone.
The opportunity for me to progress as a player at a club like QPR is something I’m really looking forward to doing.
“I have some catching up to do. In my head I have put the first six months to getting used to the set-up, the full-time training and all that. By the start of next season I hope to really push on.
“I’m just delighted to be here and can’t wait to get started.”
Originally published at 16.15
Nice one Ryan! So nice to hear a good news story :-)
The Tribesmen will miss him but congratulations. Gaillimh Abú!
Good luck to him, Irish talent should be nurtured and applauded.
Rory Gaffney, Pat Hoban, and Ryan Manning all gone to England and all played under Johnny Glynn at mervue Utd. He can spot talent. Greg Cunningham another former mervue underage player making a career for himself in England. Are Mervue the home farm or st joesephs of the west?
Seamas conneely now at Accrington also!
The Irish football team needs a few more lads like this breaking through to the Premier League.
It’s not that long ago that we sneered at Norn Iron whose team was made up of lower league players.
Ryan should listen to the guest off the ball had on last night talking about the money and power and his ego and how he couldn’t cope with the professional set up very good
Maybe I’m off the ball ?
but les Ferdinand was on holidays in galway during the summer
He’s dating a galway girl for a while now as far as I know
Best of luck !!
Watched Ryan at Mervue and with GFC over past two seasons. At 16 he could hold his own physically against any defender. His left foot delivers a powerful and accurate shot as does his head. From set pieces he’s deadly. His best attribute is his vision and eye for a pass. Don’t know how he’ll do in England but best of luck to him. His younger brother is another potential staring for Mervue regularly at b underage.
how many great footballers have Mervue produced ? It’s like a little brazil – great club !
Unless you’re playing against them of course !
The young lad will be grand …..
Harry Redknapp knows his footballers …well worth a watch for soccer fans …
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eAjd_jTvURc
Congratulations Ryan, every schoolboys dream, well maybe not qpr
Yeah exactly, sure who wants to play for a Premier League team in England!!
Connacht Rugby – which the I.R.F.U. wanted to disband .
And now this young man and Martin Keown’s granddad from Castlegar …
Is it too much to ask for an ould hurling All-Ireland ?
I met a lad I know for years the other day for the first time in about a year or so and I asked what was the craic ..
“Ah nothin’ much”, he said, “A bit of work during the week and sauce at the weekend ”
He then told me that the soccer team he played for lost 8 first team players to emigration during the season and had to be abandoned –
The club is about fifteen miles from Galway City….
Sorry – was fifteen miles from Galway City .
Good luck to him but its getting more and more difficult for young players to make it at Premier League level straight away. Will prob need to drop down a division or two to get games
I think he’s better than that Beano – but sure we’ll see …
Soccer is exploding as a sport for young lads in Galway at the moment – all over the county …..
We need to keep these players
We do, Cian, but we can’t what with the wages and lifestyle being offered by the Premiership. Good luck to him and I hope it doesn’t go to his head. If he keeps on the right track he should do very well for himself.
Wud av loved to see him play for Galway in the top flight for a season or 2 but best of luck to him, quality player. ..
What kind of dollars did G fc get for him ?
About time Harry invested in some youth, good luck to the lad….Come in You R’s!!!
Nick Leeson was financial controller or whatever of Galway United before it went broke – wasn’t he ? Some financial position at any rate …..
“I wonder how
I wonder why
Yesterday you told me about the blue blue sky
and all that I can see
Is fools ignoring History !”
Thats why Irish soccer has so few attending, all the talented ones go across the water. The spectators have to watch the crap that’s left
Shite
Amos is spinning in his grave. . . As is Mr Wilkes..
Interesting sponsor!