5 Irish Footballers who would benefit from a move to mainland Europe this Summer

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Last season we saw more Irish footballers make the brave decision of stepping out of their comfort zone and moving to clubs in mainland Europe. Senior internationals Jake O’Brien and Troy Parrott reaped the rewards of doing so becoming fan favourites in France and The Netherlands whilst under-21 stars Matt Healy and Armstrong Oko-Flex are also shining on the continent. Here are five more Irishmen who I believe could thrive outside of the UK.

Andrew Moran

Possibly Ireland’s most technically gifted and most exciting prospect, Moran would absolutely thrive in a possession based side with players around him that would match his footballing intelligence where he could showcase his wizardry. Whilst Moran went through patches last season on loan at Blackburn where he looked a potential star, playing right wing in a relegation battling team as a natural number 10 was never going to be an easy task. It would seem unlikely that Andrew will be ready to play in the Premier League next season with another loan spell the best option before going back to compete for a first team spot at Brighton. A loan to a team in the Eredivisie or even the Belgian top flight would suit Moran giving him that extra experience in a style of play that fits him and not the hustle and bustle of the draining EFL schedule. Perhaps a move to Brightons sister club Union Saint Gilloise would be a viable option for Moran. If all these things were to fall into place I’d be very confident that Moran would become a regular Irish senior international.

Josh Cullen

After spending two years at Anderlecht from 2020-2022, Cullen is a player who could do great things again on the continent if he decided to move on from Burnley. Cullen had a mixed season in the Premier League starting off quite slowly and eventually coming out of the Burnley team for a period of time but he bounced back towards the end of the season scoring two goals and picking up three assists in the last two months of the campaign. If Cullen decided to stay at Burnley it wouldn’t affect his career a huge pile as he won’t lose his place in the Ireland team and he showed when he played in the Championship before he’s as good as anyone in the division. Although I cant but feel that Cullen is capable of a lot more than being a Championship player. I feel he would fit in very well in the Serie A in what is a slower paced league to the Premiership that allows holding midfielders like Cullen time on the ball to dictate play. He would thrive in that environment. 

Matt Doherty

Despite having a contract at Wolves until 2026 and being well liked by fans as the understudy to Nelson Semedo, at the age of 32 I would like to see Doherty go test himself in a league that fits his game more. After struggling for Ireland against Hungary with fans questioning whether he’s up to international standard anymore, it’s not really a surprise when you look at the stats from last season with Matt only playing 33% of minutes and starting just 9 Premier League games. Doherty’s style of play seems to be getting less like what the Premiership demands at wingback with every season that goes by with natural athletes who can get up and down the line all day the desired option. With Matt’s strengths mainly being his late arrivals into the box, composure on the ball and 1-2 passes, like Cullen i’d like to see him make the move to Italy. The three at the back system is a lot more common on the continent as well and without playing that formation its very hard to find a place in a team for Doherty. He is also a big golfer so maybe a move to a hotter climate might tempt him.

Gavin Kilkenny

A technically gifted footballer who is capable of so much more than his current career trajectory. One of the best performances I’ve seen from an Irishman over recent years was from Kilkenny on the opening day of the 21/22 season against West Brom were he put on an absolute masterclass at just 21 and looked to be the future of the Ireland midfield. But since then things haven’t gone as planned with Kilkenny unfairly losing his place in the Cherries team as soon as the experienced players returned from injury that season. He went out on loan to Stoke and Charlton in 22/23 with neither loan going as planned due to a major knee injury. He spent the second half of last season at Fleetwood and despite playing well there Gavin is much like Andrew Moran in the way that their technical game can’t be fully expressed in the EFL. I would like Kilkenny to take inspiration from Josh Cullen’s career path of leaving his comfort zone of the UK and moving to Belgium to really blossom.

Michael Obafemi

A player who has all the ability in the world but seems to have the same problem everywhere he goes, injuries. From becoming Southampton youngest ever goalscorer at 18 to being the star man for Ireland in 2022 nations league, Obafemi has shown real class in glimpses but unfortunately injuries have been limiting him from going to that next level. Still only 23, Obafemi has so much time to put his career back on track and I feel getting out of the EFL would be the best option for him. For someone who is very prone to hamstring injuries, having to play twice a week from August to May doesn’t help that case. Michael is capable of going to a lot of leagues across Europe and recreating the form from his time at Swansea which led to Burnley purchasing him. A player who could offer so much to the Ireland setup and could easily work his way back into the team if follows suit of his good mate Troy Parrott by testing himself abroad.

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