By Ronan Manning
While not one of Europe’s strongest leagues, the League of Ireland is one of its fastest growing, and has been a source of excellent emerging talent for years. Evan Ferguson, Jake O’Brien, Liam Scales, and more played League of Ireland football before getting big moves abroad, and the talent pipeline continues to flow. In this article, I’ll outline a few young players in the league who might be the next to make a big move abroad.
Mason Melia (17, ST, St. Patrick’s Athletic)
Melia is by some distance the most well-known young star in the League of Ireland, and with good reason. News recently broke of a move to Tottenham that will go through in 2026 after the striker turns 18, representing a record fee for the league.
Relatively few minutes - the young striker played just over half the minutes he was able to in the 2024 season - don’t shine a very positive light on his overall numbers, but Melia’s data profile is still one of interest. He displays a high density of high-percentage shots on his shot map, and his 0.43 goals per 90 across his young LOI career is an extremely promising number for a player so young.
Melia also shines in more ways than just his goalscoring - he’s far from an out-and-out poacher and often picks up the ball very deep. In addition to his strong hold-up play, he’s also a very good passer of the ball and a surprisingly adept dribbler for his large frame, with a fantastic ability to turn a defender on his first touch perhaps his strongest attribute. The below charts demonstrate his ability to add value to his side through both carrying the ball from deep and creating from around the box:
Overall, Melia looks like potentially the best prospect to leave the League of Ireland in several years; accumulating nearly 1700 league minutes for one of the country’s strongest teams at the age of 17 is no mean feat. His move to Spurs will likely see some time with a youth side or out on loan, but he looks to possess all the tools necessary to use a move out of Ireland as a springboard to a successful career.
Cian Byrne (22, CB, Bohemians)
Byrne had his top division breakout season in 2024, recording over 2000 minutes in his first full season of Premier Division football. His data profile is that of an average defender (not necessarily a significant red flag in a Bohs team that finished 8th) with exceptional passing ability, which is backed up by a deeper dive.
In 2024, Byrne ranked 3rd in League of Ireland centrebacks with at least 900 minutes in both progressive pass attempts and progressive pass completion rate - notably, almost all of his peers in both metrics play for one of the top 4 sides in the league. While the volume of his progressive passes makes this map a little difficult to read, the consistency at which he breaks opposition press with a ball into midfield is impressive.
In a league where many teams favor physical, direct play over passing through the press, Byrne’s profile is very interesting - while Bohs’ 2024 stylistic profile resembled the possession-heavy teams near the top of the league more than it did their neighbors near the bottom of the table, it will be interesting to see if he attracts interest from leagues that more closely fit his strengths.
James McManus (19, DM, Bohemians)
Not dissimilar from his teammate Byrne, McManus reads as a very efficient buildup passer and a solid player out of possession. His numbers, like Byrne’s, don’t pop off the page in part due to the fact that he played for one of the weaker sides in the league in 2024, but still show some promise.
Progressive passing is certainly the most impressive area of his game; just three midfielders rank higher than him in both volume and efficiency, and all three play for one of the strongest sides in the league in either Shamrock Rovers or Derry.
Interestingly, McManus’ closest Premier League equivalent, based on similarity score, is Kalvin Phillips of Ipswich - although his tenure at Manchester City didn’t go as well as it could have, the stylistic comparison to a player to have played roles under both Pep Guardiola and Marcelo Bielsa should be indicative of the type of player McManus is.
Josh Honohan (23, CB/LWB, Shamrock Rovers)
After joining Rovers from relegated Cork City after the 2023 season, Honohan had a standout first season for the Dublin side in 2024, featuring heavily in the league and in their ongoing Conference League run. Able to play anywhere in Stephen Bradley’s back five, the young defender stands out in his ability to contribute at a high level both on and off the ball in different areas.
After playing as a centreback with occasional stints as a conservative fullback in a back 4 at Cork City, Honohan has made an impressive adjustment to making frequent appearances as a wingback for the league’s most possession-dominant side, as shown below:
Given his propensity to get into attacking areas, it’s remarkable that Honohan also profiles as a strong player off the ball - even taking into account the fact that he plays for one of the stronger sides in the league, the consistency at which he ranks above league average in defensive metrics is impressive.
The Cork native maintained a strong defensive profile while displaying a new offensive skillset in 2024, and continued involvement for Rovers (who recently became the first Irish side to reach a European knockout round) in 2025 will very likely see teams from overseas taking an interest in the versatile defender.
Increased attendances and performances in Europe have seen an increased buzz around the League of Ireland lately, and the talent developing in the league shows no sign of slowing down. Recently available event-level data from the league can help us more efficiently identify where star players are emerging; while no stranger to most regular League of Ireland viewers, a data-focused lens adds a layer of confidence in the potential of the players outlined here.