Cork players making waves in Premier League

Cork footballer Chiedozie Ogbene has been signed by Premier League side Ipswich Town to become the latest Leeside player to enter England’s top tier of football this season.

The Ireland international and former Cork City FC and Luton player has penned a four-year contract for the recently promoted Tractor Boys who have now signed ten new players in this transfer window.

The £8m transfer sees the 27 year old return to the Premier League having featured with Brentford in 2018.

“I’m very excited and feel lucky to have this opportunity to play in the Premier League again,” he told the club’s website.

Ogbene’s move follows Cork centre-back Jake O'Brien’s £17m transfer from French side Lyon to struggling Premier League club Everton in July where he recently made his debut in a 3-0 EFL Cup victory over Doncaster. O’Brien is yet to feature in a Premier League line-up for Everton as the club lies at the bottom of the table.

Meanwhile, according to the Irish Independent, both Wolverhampton Wonderers and Bournemouth are poised to make offers for 25 year old Cork goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher as his future at Liverpool remains in doubt. Earlier this year, Kelleher revealed publicly that he wanted to play first team football, even if that meant he would have to leave Liverpool. This week, Liverpool signed 23 year old Georgian keeper Giorgi Mamardashvili from Valencia in a deal worth up to £29m, possibly pushing Kelleher further down the pecking line.

As the 2024 transfer window nears its end on Friday, Cork centre-back John Egan remains without a club after his contract at Sheffield United expired earlier this month.

Egan currently training with Championship side Burnley.

Exciting 19 year old Mark O'Mahony recently scored his first goal for Premier League side Brighton. The Carrigaline local has made four appearances for Brighton after moving from Cork City FC in 2023 for a reported fee of £50,000.