St Patrick’s Athletic star Mason Melia has signed for Premier League giants Tottenham Hotspur. He has departed the Incihore club for a League of Ireland record sale of €1.9 million rising to €4 million with adds on.
The former St Joseph Boys striker has smashed the League of Ireland record sale becoming the first player in the league's history to be sold for an initial fee of over €1 million with St Pats also having a 20% sell on clause in the deal.
Spurs have beaten off serious interest from Premier League rivals Manchester City, Chelsea, Everton. Celtic and Bayer Leverkusen were also heavily linked. Man City attempted to sign Melia last summer and send him to affiliate club Lommel SK in Belgium until he was 18 but the player preferred the option of playing in the League of Ireland.
The 2024 PFAI Young Player of the Year will stay at St Pats until January 2026 meaning he will play the full season with Pat’s who are favorites to win the League of Ireland and will compete in the Conference League qualifiers.
Melia has scored 10 goals in 54 appearances across all competitions for St Pat’s and made history as the youngest-ever goalscorer in the League of Ireland when he netted against UCD in June 2023.
Melia, who hails from County Wicklow, started off at Newtown Juniors before moving to St Joseph’s Boys, who will both also benefit from any moves in the future.
The news was confirmed by the Tottenham Hotspur academy as well as by St Pats.
Melia will join former St Patricks Athletic player Josh Keeley in the Spurs family, though Keeley is currently on loan with Leyton Orient.
Spurs fans on social media were pretty excited by the move.
The official League of Ireland launch is tomorrow at Dublin's Mansion House, and it will be fascinating to get the thoughts of Stephen Kenny on the move.
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