Highly-rated Irish youngster Joe Hodge joins Wolves

The midfielder – named City’s Scholar of the Year in 2019 – switches Premier League clubs with a view to improving his prospects of a first-team breakthrough

Fri, 27 Aug, 2021 - 10:36

John Fallon

Wolves have snapped up highly-rated Irish teen Joe Hodge from Manchester City on a three-year deal.

The midfielder – named City’s Scholar of the Year in 2019 – switches Premier League clubs with a view to improving his prospects of a first-team breakthrough.

Manchester-born Hodge, 18, has been long marked out for full international honours with Ireland. Senior boss Stephen Kenny had floated the prospect of fast-tracking him into the senior ranks amid continued interest from England.

Leading English FA coaches continue to monitor the playmaker’s international status but the former FAI U17 Player of the Year has so far pledged his commitment to the country he declared for through his Dublin-born paternal grandmother Bernadette Hanlon.

Last season the youngster spent time on loan at League of Ireland side Derry City, but a back injury prevented him making an appearance and he returned to Manchester for treatment.

Having worked with Hodge at a young age while at City, Wolves technical director Scott Sellars knows the quality Hodge will add to James Collins’ U23 side.

He said: “I’ve known Joe a long time, he has a good pedigree and had a good education at City and at international level, and we think we can continue his development at Wolves.

“He’s coming in with an injury so won’t be fit straight away – we knew that, but he’s got a lot of quality, a great personality, he’s an intelligent footballer, a good passer of the ball and breaks things up – he’s somebody with a lot of potential.

“You look at every avenue to find a talented player, whether he’s nine or 18, it doesn’t matter, you’re always looking for talent to bring in. A lot of our under-18s are going out on loan, so the position Joe plays, we had an opportunity to bring someone in and there is a clear pathway in that position.”

Ireland U21 boss Jim Crawford is a fan of the playmaker – calling up him for a training camp earlier this year – but could name him in his squad today for the opening for the Euro 2023 opening qualification double-header in Bosnia-Herzegovina and Luxembourg on September 3 and September 7 respectively if he's back fully fit after his injury.