The 16-year-old winger and brother of Crystal Palace’s Franco Umeh moved from Cork City to Benfica in August.
Umeh joined the Portuguese side having rejected a professional contract from the Leesiders.
He made 15 first-team appearances for Cork and scored two goals before linking up with Benfica’s U19 side.
Cork gained compensation following the move and may receive more fees depending on Umeh’s future progress.
2. Jonathan Afolabi
Still only 24, Afolabi has had an unstable career.
He has eight senior clubs including loans and excluding a spell in Southampton’s youth setup. Last January, he left Bohemians for Belgian Pro League side Kortrijk for an undisclosed fee.
Yet the former Irish underage international striker has struggled to emulate his League of Ireland form.
In September, he made the fifth loan move of his career, signing with Dutch second-tier side Cambuur on a season-long loan.
Afolabi has registered one goal in seven appearances for his latest club.
3. Sam Curtis
The 19-year-old joined Sheffield United from St Patrick’s Athletic in January.
Curtis made one Premier League appearance for the Blades, coming on as a 63rd-minute substitute against Everton last May.
The teenage full-back has since been loaned out to Peterborough and has done relatively well, making 16 League One appearances despite the side struggling in 18th position
4. Adam Murphy
Last January, the 19-year-old midfielder signed for Championship club Bristol City on a three-and-a-half-year deal with an additional 12-month option.
He previously made 33 first-team appearances for St Patrick’s Athletic.
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Dublin-born Murphy has linked up with the English side’s U21 team and is still awaiting a first-team debut.
Manager Liam Manning confirmed last March that the Ireland U21 international was still “a while away” from first-team football and was perceived very much as a long-term project.
5. Gavin Molloy
Gavin Molloy of Aberdeen shields the ball from Simon Murray of Dundee. Alamy Stock Photo
Alamy Stock Photo
Arguably the biggest success story when it comes to League of Ireland players going abroad in 2024.
Having impressed for Shelbourne in the first half of the 2024 campaign, the defender joined Aberdeen in the summer transfer window, reportedly for a £75,000 fee.
The centre-back has since slotted seamlessly into the Dons’ side, making 18 appearances for the team third in the Scottish Premiership.
6. Nickson Okosun
Watford signed the 18-year-old striker from Bohemians at the beginning of December for an undisclosed fee, with the transfer officially going through on 1 January.
Okosun penned a deal with the Championship side until 2029.
The Ireland U19 international previously made seven first-team appearances for Bohs and will link up with the Hornets’ U21 squad.
5 who could follow
1. Mason Melia
Widely considered the brightest prospect plying his trade in the League of Ireland, the 17-year-old scored six goals in 31 appearances for St Patrick’s Athletic in 2024, plus two in 10 the previous year.
The Wicklow native will be eligible to move to a British club when he turns 18 in September.
According to The Irish Sun, Tottenham, Bologna, Everton, Crystal Palace and Celtic are among the clubs interested in the attacker, who has two years remaining on his Pat’s contract.
2. Neil Farrugia
Shamrock Rovers are surely bracing themselves for several key players’ departures following their impressive European run.
They will struggle to hold onto Darragh Burns and Johnny Kenny, who are on loan from MK Dons and Celtic.
Neil Farrugia is another player who has caught the eye of late.
At 25, the winger may feel it is his last chance to move abroad.
He was linked with moves to England back in his UCD days — having a trial for Man City’s U23 side in 2019 but deciding to stay in Dublin and complete his degree in biomedical science.
A series of injuries have curbed his progress since then, but Farrugia remains one of the League of Ireland’s outstanding talents — he was even called up to train with the national team in May 2023.
3. Josh Honohan
Another Rovers player who looks well-placed to compete at a higher level.
The 23-year-old has been one of the best signings of the season, after joining the Hoops from Cork City ahead of the 2024 campaign, recently making the PFAI Team of the Year.
Honohan looked comfortable stepping up to the higher level of the Europa Conference League, with Rovers unbeaten to the final match of the group stage phase when they lost to Chelsea.
Therefore, the full-back may make another step up soon.
But he experienced a frustrating 2024, with injuries restricting him to 11 Premier Division appearances.
If he can recover from this setback and get back to his best, there will be plenty of interest in the talented teenager.
5. Cathal O’Sullivan
The 17-year-old playmaker received a PFAI Young Player of the Year nomination after impressing at Cork City.
O’Sullivan scored seven goals in 28 appearances as his side were promoted to the Premier Division.
He will be eligible to move to England when he turns 18 in September.
“I think physically Cathal is very good and so is Mason [Melia], but I think technically, Cathal is streets ahead of any other young lad in the country,” Cork boss Tim Clancy told The Echo last September. “The benefit for us is he is a young player playing in the team but realistically opportunities will arise. We are just hoping that the club does well, and the player benefits from it, and that everyone is happy.”
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6 Irish players who moved abroad in 2024 and 5 who could follow
Irish players who moved abroad in 2024
1. Jaden Umeh
The 16-year-old winger and brother of Crystal Palace’s Franco Umeh moved from Cork City to Benfica in August.
Umeh joined the Portuguese side having rejected a professional contract from the Leesiders.
He made 15 first-team appearances for Cork and scored two goals before linking up with Benfica’s U19 side.
Cork gained compensation following the move and may receive more fees depending on Umeh’s future progress.
2. Jonathan Afolabi
Still only 24, Afolabi has had an unstable career.
He has eight senior clubs including loans and excluding a spell in Southampton’s youth setup. Last January, he left Bohemians for Belgian Pro League side Kortrijk for an undisclosed fee.
Yet the former Irish underage international striker has struggled to emulate his League of Ireland form.
In September, he made the fifth loan move of his career, signing with Dutch second-tier side Cambuur on a season-long loan.
Afolabi has registered one goal in seven appearances for his latest club.
3. Sam Curtis
The 19-year-old joined Sheffield United from St Patrick’s Athletic in January.
Curtis made one Premier League appearance for the Blades, coming on as a 63rd-minute substitute against Everton last May.
The teenage full-back has since been loaned out to Peterborough and has done relatively well, making 16 League One appearances despite the side struggling in 18th position
4. Adam Murphy
Last January, the 19-year-old midfielder signed for Championship club Bristol City on a three-and-a-half-year deal with an additional 12-month option.
He previously made 33 first-team appearances for St Patrick’s Athletic.
Dublin-born Murphy has linked up with the English side’s U21 team and is still awaiting a first-team debut.
Manager Liam Manning confirmed last March that the Ireland U21 international was still “a while away” from first-team football and was perceived very much as a long-term project.
5. Gavin Molloy
Arguably the biggest success story when it comes to League of Ireland players going abroad in 2024.
Having impressed for Shelbourne in the first half of the 2024 campaign, the defender joined Aberdeen in the summer transfer window, reportedly for a £75,000 fee.
The centre-back has since slotted seamlessly into the Dons’ side, making 18 appearances for the team third in the Scottish Premiership.
6. Nickson Okosun
Watford signed the 18-year-old striker from Bohemians at the beginning of December for an undisclosed fee, with the transfer officially going through on 1 January.
Okosun penned a deal with the Championship side until 2029.
The Ireland U19 international previously made seven first-team appearances for Bohs and will link up with the Hornets’ U21 squad.
5 who could follow
1. Mason Melia
Widely considered the brightest prospect plying his trade in the League of Ireland, the 17-year-old scored six goals in 31 appearances for St Patrick’s Athletic in 2024, plus two in 10 the previous year.
The Wicklow native will be eligible to move to a British club when he turns 18 in September.
According to The Irish Sun, Tottenham, Bologna, Everton, Crystal Palace and Celtic are among the clubs interested in the attacker, who has two years remaining on his Pat’s contract.
2. Neil Farrugia
Shamrock Rovers are surely bracing themselves for several key players’ departures following their impressive European run.
They will struggle to hold onto Darragh Burns and Johnny Kenny, who are on loan from MK Dons and Celtic.
Neil Farrugia is another player who has caught the eye of late.
At 25, the winger may feel it is his last chance to move abroad.
He was linked with moves to England back in his UCD days — having a trial for Man City’s U23 side in 2019 but deciding to stay in Dublin and complete his degree in biomedical science.
A series of injuries have curbed his progress since then, but Farrugia remains one of the League of Ireland’s outstanding talents — he was even called up to train with the national team in May 2023.
3. Josh Honohan
Another Rovers player who looks well-placed to compete at a higher level.
The 23-year-old has been one of the best signings of the season, after joining the Hoops from Cork City ahead of the 2024 campaign, recently making the PFAI Team of the Year.
Stephen Bradley compared him to ex-Rovers player Liam Scales who has since gone on to star for Celtic.
Honohan looked comfortable stepping up to the higher level of the Europa Conference League, with Rovers unbeaten to the final match of the group stage phase when they lost to Chelsea.
Therefore, the full-back may make another step up soon.
4. James McManus
The 19-year-old Bohemians midfielder has received interest from Premier League clubs.
But he experienced a frustrating 2024, with injuries restricting him to 11 Premier Division appearances.
If he can recover from this setback and get back to his best, there will be plenty of interest in the talented teenager.
5. Cathal O’Sullivan
The 17-year-old playmaker received a PFAI Young Player of the Year nomination after impressing at Cork City.
O’Sullivan scored seven goals in 28 appearances as his side were promoted to the Premier Division.
He will be eligible to move to England when he turns 18 in September.
“I think physically Cathal is very good and so is Mason [Melia], but I think technically, Cathal is streets ahead of any other young lad in the country,” Cork boss Tim Clancy told The Echo last September. “The benefit for us is he is a young player playing in the team but realistically opportunities will arise. We are just hoping that the club does well, and the player benefits from it, and that everyone is happy.”
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