Another week, another promising young Irish footballer signing for a Premier League club.
While Irish football as a whole is failing to produce as many players as it did in the past, there have been some encouraging moves over the past week regarding young players signing for Premier League teams.
Dublin youngster Tyreke Wilson signed a professional contract with Manchester City, and Aaron O'Driscoll, who came through, like Wilson, at schoolboy side Cherry Orchard, agreed to sign for Southampton.
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Burnley are the latest Premier League team to sign up a young Irish player. Jimmy Dunne, who had been part of Manchester United's academy, has agreed terms with the club.
The 18-year-old central defender is from Dundalk in Co. Louth, played for Dublin side St Kevin's Boys, the same schoolboy club as Robbie Brady, Jeff Hendrick and Jack Byrne, and has signed a two year deal, with the option of a further year.
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"This is really positive place to be at the moment so I’m delighted that I’ve got the move sorted for myself," Dunne told the club's official website.
"Manchester United is a big club who have been good to me since the age of 10 and they have developed me into the player and person I am now. It was a hard decision to make to leave but at the same time I’m joining another fantastic Premier League club.
"All the changes that the club are putting in such as the training ground made it an attractive move and the decision was easier because of that.
"I want to play first-team football and play in the Premier League eventually and Burnley is a brilliant place to come to try and do that."
Dunne will be part of Burnley's development squad, but his progress will be worth monitoring over the coming seasons.
