Football | Spurs sign Mason Melia from St. Patrick's Athletic

Tottenham Hotspur have confirmed the signing of Mason Melia from St. Patrick's Athletic.

Spurs will pay an initial £1.5m for the teenage forward, a record deal for a League of Ireland player. The transfer also includes a 20% sell-on clause and other bonuses, which could see the eventual fee rise significantly.

Melia, 17, has scored 10 goals in 54 appearances for St. Pat's, winning the FAI Cup final against Bohemian FC in 2023. Last year, he was named as the PFAI Young Player of the Year. The Irish teenager, who made his professional debut in 2023, became the League of Ireland's youngest ever goalscorer at the age of 15.

Melia is unable to join Ange Postecoglou's side until he turns 18, so will remain available for the Saints' upcoming 2025 campaign. The Wicklow native will instead join the Premier League club in January 2026 on a five-year contract.

St. Pat's manager Stephen Kenny has heaped praise on the teenager.

"Mason is a terrific talent with an exceptional attitude and a real appetite for hard work," he told the club website.

"He has had a dramatic impact for one so young, his performances in our Conference League games playing as a central striker against high calibre opposition were of real quality. Every day on the training ground he shows a high work ethic and a capacity to take on information quickly and he grasps the tactical requirements depending on the game in question.

"His pressing out of possession is phenomenal and his pace offers a real threat and adds a dimension to our attacking play. His hold up play has been his greatest improvement over the last six months as his continues to develop physically.

"First and foremost he is a goalscorer, he scored some brilliant goals last season, and different types of goals and has shown a capacity to play anywhere along the front 3.Mason has repeated those performances at international level for Ireland and has a bright future ahead for his country.

"We are looking forward to Mason continuing to be an integral part of the St Patrick's Athletic team for the 2025 season and we wish him every success at Tottenham Hotspur from January 2026 onwards, in the next phase of his career in what is a brilliant opportunity for him."