Festy Ebosele completes transfer to Turkish side Başakşehir

Republic of Ireland international Festy Ebosele is on the move again, securing a transfer to Turkish outfit Basaksehir.

Republic of Ireland international Festy Ebosele is on the move again, securing a transfer to Turkish outfit Başakşehir.

The team from Istanbul knocked St Patrick’s Athletic out of the Conference League in the summer and sit seventh place in the Super Lig.

Ebosele, from Enniscorthy, has emerged as a long-term successor to Ireland captain Seamus Coleman at right-back, delivering a sumptuous cross for Robbie Brady to fire the winner in the October Nations League win in Finland.

His volatile club career hasn’t helped him though, as a promising loan move from Udinese to their sister club Watford ended prematurely and sourly, with chastening parting words for the 22-year-old from manager Tom Cleverley.

"Festy came to the club with the intention of being a starter for us,” said the former Manchester United midfielder.

“Potential opportunities were coming at a time when we really needed consistency and that’s not one of Festy’s strengths right now.”

Cleverley does see the traits in the Irishman that convinced his former United teammate Wayne Rooney to blood him as a teen at Derby County.

“He’s a match-winner for sure,” he added.

“He’s explosive, got frightening pace and we just didn’t have the time in the team to offer him to develop some of the key attributes he’ll want to improve on.

“When he recognises those areas, he’ll have a really bright future as a young player with a lot of potential for growth.”