Record €75,000 fee central in Will Fitzgerald's move to Shamrock Rovers

RECORD DEAL: Shamrock Rovers have broken their domestic transfer fee record by prising Sligo Rovers captain Will Fitzgerald to Tallaght for €75,000. Pic: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile.

Shamrock Rovers have broken their domestic transfer fee record by prising Sligo Rovers captain Will Fitzgerald to Tallaght for €75,000.

The Limerick native completed the move ahead of Tuesday’s 11pm transfer deadline but isn’t eligible to be in the Hoops squad when they chase a 2-0 deficit in the Champions League clash against Ararat from Armenia.

It represents the second blow of the month for bottom side Sligo after they lost long-serving manager John Russell to Shelbourne.

However, despite their plight at the foot of the table, Fitzgerald’s contract expiration date meant they face losing him on a free in November.

He departs Sligo after five years, having joined from fellow north-west outfit Derry City. The left-sided player previously played for his native Limerick and Waterford.

An ever-present for the Bit O’Red last season, he maintained his form this term, collecting his first-ever SSE Airtricity/Soccer Writers Ireland player of the month award in May.

Dutch club Roda JC had a bid for the Sligo skipper rejected in February and while Bohemians and Russell’s Shelbourne were interested in this window, he’s heading to the champions. He could make his debut in Friday’s league trip to Drogheda United and he’s not FAI Cup tied for the upcoming third round visit to St Patrick’s Athletic.

Rovers did fork out a meaty fee to Dungannon Swifts last year for striker John McGovern but this transaction is the largest upfront payment to a fellow LOI club.