Ireland U17 vice captain Danny McGrath Belgium bound as City Football Group make their move
BELGIUM BOUND: Danny McGrath warming up ahead of a Bohemians SSE Airtricity Men's Premier Division match. Photo by Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile
City Football Group, the umbrella company owning Manchester City, are poised to enter the Irish market by recruiting Bohemians teen Danny McGrath for Belgian outfit Lommel SK.
The midfielder was vice-captain of the Ireland team that reached the U17 Euro quarter-finals in May and earned a long-term contract offer after impressing on a recent trial at the second tier club.
Although he won’t turn 18 until January, Brexit rules don't prevent prospects joining European clubs from the age of 16.
McGrath emerged through the famous St Kevin’s Boys set-up to become part of Bohemians U17 team last season and has trained with the seniors this year after signing his first professional contract.
He is also eligible to represent Brazil through his mother Karin and is multi-lingual, a fillip for ensconcing into the continental scene.
Negotiations between Lommel and Bohs regarding a fee and compensation are understood to be in the final stages.
In 2020, Lommel became the ninth component in City Football Group’s portfolio which has since risen to 13 across the globe.
CFG is majority-owned by Sheikh Mansour, the vice president and deputy prime minister of the United Arab Emirates as well as being a member of the Abu Dhabi royal family.
Former Arsenal defender and coach Steve Bould has managed Lommel for the past year, revealing his avenue to an interview was facilitated by ex-teammate Brian Marwood. He’s CFG’s MD of global football, the overseer of the entire operation.
Bould considers the role very much a development one, tasked with nurturing young players in a professional environment. This may lead to opportunities elsewhere within the group’s array of elements. Maintaining the dominance of treble-holders Manchester City remains the ultimate objective.
The club, situated near the Dutch border at the 8,000 Soevereinstadion, have been closely linked with the jewel in the Arabs’ crown within the multi-club structure since being taken over three years ago.
Mike Green, the former Head of City in the Community, has been their chief executive since February 2021 while ex-head of the sports science and medical department for City’s women team, James McCarron, switched roles to Lommel’s Sporting Director.
First choice goalkeeper Emerson was joined by former clubmate Gabriel Jesus in attending a league match of their sister club two years ago. Not everyone in the Lowlands is embracing CFG flexing their financial muscle.
In May, Royal Excelsior Virton filed a complaint with the European Commission, claiming their relegation rival were “financially doped” by receiving a €16.8m cash injection from its mothership.
In a growing trend of multi-club ownership, when and how the commission deals with this test legal case is being closely watched.
CFG had this summer offered Crystal Palace €1.35m to buy Cork-born defender Jake O’Brien, with a view to placing him with Troyes, but they instead sold him to another French club, Lyon, also part of the Eagles Holdings Group controlled by billionaire John Textor.
City themselves are tracking the progress of St Patrick’s Athletic striker Mason Melia. Still only 15, the youngest-ever scorer in the senior Premier Division recently spent training at the Etihad campus but he’s in no rush to depart Saints set-up, where his integration is being handled carefully.
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