Clare-born teenager Ryan Nolan has signed a new two-year contract with Inter Milan and been made captain of the club's youth team as the hugely promising defender's star continues to rise.
Nolan, 19, was born in Shannon but moved with his family to the Spanish town of Torre Pacheco when he was eight.
After being spotted by veteran scout Pierluigi Casiraghi when playing for the Murcia representative team three years ago, Nolan was brought to Milan, where he's made steady and impressive progress.
He made his first-team debut in a pre-season friendly against Lugano last month, and is very highly rated by the Serie A giants.
Nolan has been rewarded with a deal that indicates the versatile centre-half is very much in manager Luciano Spalletti's plans for the coming season.
Nolan, fluent in three languages, is eligible to play for Spain - Las Rojas have reportedly shown an interest in bringing him into the fold - but he has aired his desire and ambition to play for the country of his birth having represented the Republic of Ireland at Under-18 level.
Inter finished fourth last season - Spalletti's first in charge - qualifying for the Champions League for the first time in six years thanks to a dramatic 3-2 final-day win against Lazio.
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