Talented young striker Mason Melia will be using 2025 and a full season in Ireland to prepare for his move to Tottenham Hotspur.
Last month Spurs agreed a deal with St Patrick's Athletic for the 17-year-old worth an initial £1.6million - a record transfer for the League of Ireland - but with the potential to rise further with add-ons that could double that figure. Melia has been one of the most sought-after Irish youngsters of recent times and Tottenham saw off competition from clubs across the Premier League and Europe to land his signature.
Due to the UK's exit from the European Union, Melia's move cannot go through until after he is 18, which happens in September, so his transfer will officially happen in the January window next year.
Melia has remarkable experience already for someone so young and his big frame means he made his debut for St Pats at just 15 and has now played in 60 senior games for the club, scoring 11 goals and laying on four assists. He also has European experience, having played up front for the team during their Conference League qualifying run in July and August last year as a 16-year-old.
On Friday night, Melia scored his first goal of the new League of Ireland season, turning home St Pat's second in the second half of their 3-0 win at home against Bohemians. It was a classic close range goal, with the forward making a great run into the box before sliding home a bit of wing play, with a defender deflecting the ball on to his leg and over the line.
Melia chose Tottenham over his many other suitors due to the north London side's repeated use of young players in recent seasons with Ange Postecoglou having given minutes to plenty of teenagers like Lucas Bergvall, Archie Gray, Mathys Tel, Wilson Odobert and academy product Mikey Moore among others this season.
The young Irishman was invited to watch Spurs' 4-3 defeat to Chelsea at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this season and agreed a long deal until 2031 with the north London outfit. After the contract was signed he spoke to Postecoglou and Tottenham have put Melia on a tailored conditioning programme to prepare the teenager for the rigours of the Premier League when he arrives next year.
Melia will be hoping to make his Ireland U21 debut this month after being called back into the squad for friendlies against Scotland and Hungary, having missed the last games for his country through injury.
All eyes will be on the big young striker to see how he progresses over the coming nine months for club and country and then how he takes the huge step into a Premier League club in 2026.
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