Shamrock Rovers have accepted an offer for Andy Lyons from English Championship side Blackpool but the Ireland under-21 international will not make the switch until January 2023.
Rovers had previously rejected bids of £110,000 and £230,000 before Blackpool made them an offer, believed to be around £300,000, that allows Lyons to feature in the Europa Conference League group stages, as Stephen Bradley’s squad prepare to face Djurgardens of Sweden, Belgium club Gent and Molde from Norway.
Djurgardens open the lucrative European campaign at Tallaght stadium on Thursday week.
Lyons, who only moved from Bohemians to Rovers this season, has had a sensational impact, with eight goals while operating at left wing back, including match-winning strikes in the past week against Ferencváros and Drogheda United.
The agony and ecstasy: Cork and Clare players reflect on epic All-Ireland final
Armagh v Galway: Throw-in time, TV details, ticket and team news for All-Ireland football final
How Atlético Madrid saw a ‘gap in the market’ and set up an academy in Ireland
Tony Kelly conjured up the required magic for Clare when nothing short of it would have sufficed
“Andy will remain with the club until the end of the season as the Hoops go in search of a third consecutive league title, the FAI Cup and participate in the group stages of the Uefa Europa Conference League,” read a club statement. “The undisclosed fee is significant with the potential for additional performance-based benefits accruing subject to Shamrock Rovers over the term.”
Rovers have consistently turned the sale of young Irish talent into longer-term profit, with Gavin Bazunu’s move to Manchester City in 2018 yielding over €3 million after Southampton paid €13.9 million for the Ireland goalkeeper this summer.
