La Liga giants Real Madrid circling around Rovers sensation Razi

The attacker only turned 17 at the weekend, meaning a move to the UK is off-limits for another year, but he could join the flock of Irish teens venturing onto the continent to take their next step on the professional circuit.

Mon, 30 Oct, 2023 - 09:13

John Fallon

Real Madrid are among the leading European and English clubs monitoring the progress of Shamrock Rovers wonderkid Naj Razi.

Tallaght native Razi is a tricky winger who impressed for Colin O’Brien’s Ireland at the summer Under-17 Euros in Hungary.

He is expected to make his sixth first-team appearance for the Hoops today when they face Cork City in their first match since completing a four-in-a-row of titles on Friday by winning the top-of-the-table clash at St Patrick’s Athletic.

Arsenal, Manchester City and Chelsea have also been watching Razi’s development closely.

Rovers boss Stephen Bradley was a Gunners apprentice before operating as the club’s Irish scout before going all in at Rovers and senior talent spotters from Arsenal recently visited Dublin to watch the tyro first-hand.

Similar to other Irish products who have ended up across the European leagues, such as James Abankwah, Festy Ebosele (both Udinese) and Glory Nzingo (Stade Reim), Razi is signed to a prominent UK agency with extensive network around the continent.

Sam Curtis is another League of Ireland product utilising that route.

Formerly part of the Rovers stable, his shock move to St Pat’s in 2021 was vindicated as he’s ascended to regular for club and Ireland’s Under-21s since. He is due to sign off his stint at the club with an FAI Cup appearance against Bohemians on November 12.

The defender has spent time on trial in the Netherlands and Germany but the UK market will shortly open up under Brexit rules.

“Sam turns 18 in December and it becomes more difficult to convince them to stay another year when they’re out of contract,” admitted Saints boss Jon Daly.

“I think Sam Curtis will eventually go and he’s set on going. He’s played a lot of football and won’t look out of place wherever he ends up but has a few important games for us yet.” Curtis is farther along his career path than teammate Mason Melia, a younger colleague of Razi’s for the country at the Euros in May.

The striker smashed the record as youngest league starter for the club, which Curtis previously held, by getting the nod for Friday’s game against Rovers at the tender age of 16 years, one month and five days.

Melia is the most talked-about burgeoning striker since Evan Ferguson and has already spent time at Manchester City, personally receiving one of Erling Haaland’s jerseys before he returned home.

City could replicate the route taken in the case of Bohemians midfielder Danny McGrath by placing Melia with one of their feeder clubs. McGrath joined Belgian outfit Lommel SK, also part of the City group, thereby dodging the Brexit rule that has halted the traditional cross-channel exodus at 16.

As it stands, however, the nephew of former Ireland international and Stoke City defender Clive Clarke will remain in the Irish education system while signing professional forms with the Saints.

“It’s down to Mason and his family what path he chooses,” stressed Daly.

“We’re very open to keeping him and we'd love him to do that because he could be a big player for us over the next couple of years.

“I thought he was excellent against Rovers on Friday, up against the best defenders in the country and acquitting himself very well. We’ll try to keep him and give him as many minutes on the pitch as possible.”