Nottingham Forest sign young Shamrock Rovers forward Michael Noonan
The English club beat several European teams to secure one of Ireland's most promising young forwards.
Майкл Нунан, ФК Ноттінггем Форест
English club Nottingham Forest has reached an agreement to sign 18-year-old Shamrock Rovers forward Michael Noonan. The player will officially join the team on January 1st upon the expiration of his contract with the Irish side, as confirmed by the club's official channels.
Noonan is widely considered one of Ireland's brightest prospects. He has featured for the country's youth national teams and scored three goals during the 2025 U-17 World Cup. Following his impressive performances, he has already received a call-up to the Republic of Ireland U-21 squad.
The forward also holds a notable record in European competition. At the age of 16 years and 197 days, he scored for Shamrock Rovers against Molde, becoming the youngest goalscorer in the history of the UEFA Conference League.
The race for his signature was highly competitive, with serious interest reported from clubs such as Hoffenheim, Ajax, Benfica, and Celtic. Notably, in January 2025, Shamrock Rovers had even agreed to a transfer bid of approximately €1.8 million from Hoffenheim, though that move ultimately did not materialize.