A number of Irish players have already been on the move this summer, a list that is only likely to increase at the transfer window goes on.
Both in the Premier League and further down the English footballing period, you will see quite a few deals get over the line in the weeks ahead.
One club to keep an eye on is Derby County. A club with a sizeable Irish contingent, they recently confirmed the move of Festy Ebosele to Udinese on a free transfer, while Jason Knight will be expected to follow him out the door shortly. However, they have managed to hold onto highly rated Ireland U21 defender Erin Cashin after he put pen to paper on a new deal despite their relegation to League One.
As it turns out, they could be about to add another Irish players to the squad.
Conor Hourihane set for Derby County move
Football Insider are reporting that Conor Hourihane is set to join Derby County on a free transfer, having recently left Aston Villa.
The Cork man spent last season on loan at Sheffield United, making 31 appearances in all competitions as they fell short in the play-offs. He also spent six months on loan at Swansea City in the latter half of the 2020/21 campaign.
Conor Hourihane can properly hit thempic.twitter.com/nGUP4MCwSD
— Balls.ie (@ballsdotie) April 29, 2022
It is a surprise to see Conor Hourihane drop down to League One. Over the last 18 months he has shown that he is more than capable of contributing for a Championship club competing at the top end of the table, while he should still have plenty in the tank at 31-years old.
How this move affects his international prospects remains to be seen. The midfielder has been a fixture in Ireland squads under Stephen Kenny, although he seems to have moved down the pecking order over the last year or so. A drop down the divisions is unlikely to help in this regard, although James McClean remained a regular for Ireland despite moving to Wigan Athletic in League One last season.
This move could open the door for international teammate Jason Knight to leave the club, with Burnley rumoured to be leading the race for his signature.
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