We outline the five best young Irish players to keep an eye on in the Premier League this season.
Paul McGrath, Roy Keane, Robbie Keane, Damien Duff – the list of Irish players that have made their mark on the Premier League is long and storied.
Indeed, Ireland has produced some of the best players the Premier League has ever seen. But in recent years, talented Irish players have become a rarity in England.
That said, the future looks bright for these five young Irish players in the Premier League this season.
5. Andrew Moran – hoping to build on last season
Born in the south Dublin suburb of Knocklyon, Andrew Moran’s performances for Knocklyon United and St Joseph’s Boys caught the eye of Bray Wanderers.
The midfielder made his first appearance for the club at just 15 years old and scored his first goal aged 16, making him the youngest player and youngest goalscorer in Bray’s history.
Moran made only three first-team appearances for Bray, but his exploits earned him a move to the academy of Premier League side Brighton & Hove Albion in the summer of 2020.
Despite rumoured interest from the likes of Manchester United and Chelsea, he signed a professional contract with the Seagulls a year later. Moran will hope to build on an impressive season for Brighton’s under-21 team last year that saw him score ten goals in 19 games.
4. Michael Obafemi – the first player born in the 2000s to play for Ireland
Born in Dublin to Nigerian parents, Michael Obafemi was eligible to play for Nigeria and England but committed his international career to Ireland in 2018. He made his debut in November of that year and became the first player born in the 2000s to play for Ireland.
His youth career included stints at the likes of Arsenal and Chelsea before he settled at Southampton, where he scored four goals in 32 games. He joined Welsh side Swansea City in 2021 and scored 15 times before joining Burnley in January 2023.
He scored twice in 12 appearances for the Clarets as Vincent Kompany’s side won the Championship to return to the Premier League after relegation in 2022.
3. Thomas Cannon – from the 33rd county of Ireland
Born near Liverpool, Thomas Cannon came through Everton’s youth system and plays as a striker for the Merseyside club and the Republic of Ireland under-21s.
He has played twice for the Toffees, both coincidentally in away defeats against Bournemouth in November 2022. However, it was his exploits on loan at Preston North End in the latter half of last season that truly caught the eye.
Cannon’s performances proved a bright spark in an otherwise unremarkable season for Preston that saw the club finish 12th in the Championship. Cannon registered eight goals and an assist in 20 appearances during his time at Deepdale.
His abilities have also attracted the attention of the English FA, who have attempted to persuade him to change his international allegiances à laDeclan Rice and Jack Grealish.
2. Nathan Collins – from footballing stock
Nathan Collins is the son of David Collins and the nephew of Eamonn Collins, both of whom played professional football in the 1980s and 90s. Following in their footsteps, he started his youth career with Cherry Orchard in Ballyfermot.
He soon went to Championship side Stoke City before moving up to the Premier League to play for Burnley. Collins was a key player for Burnley during the 2021-22 campaign, but, despite his best efforts, the season ended in relegation.
Collins, however, stayed in the Premier League via a move to Wolverhampton Wanderers, for whom he made 26 appearances at centre-back last year. He became Brentford’s record signing when he joined in the summer for £23 million.
1. Evan Ferguson – one of the best young Irish players in the Premier League
Born in Bettystown, Evan Ferguson made his Bohemians debut in a friendly against Chelsea at the tender age of 14 and went on to play four competitive fixtures for the club. Subject to interest from Liverpool, Ferguson eventually signed for Brighton in January 2021.
Ferguson opened his account for Brighton in a defeat to Arsenal in December 2022, making him the youngest Irish goalscorer in the Premier League. He would go on to score a further five goals during the last campaign to earn a long-term contract at the club.
His displays with Brighton have caught Stephen Kenny’s eye, and the 18-year-old striker has been a fixture of recent national team squads.
RELATED ARTICLE: Our picks of the top five best Irish players in the Premier League in 2023
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