League leaders Shelbourne have re-signed former midfielder Harry Wood on a permanent deal.
The 21-year Englishman spent the second half of the 2023 at Tolka Park on an initial loan deal from Hull City, making a big impression during the period.
In 14 apperances, he scored twice and managed six assists as Shels finished the season strongly. In the off-season, he signed a loan deal with Grimsby Town but now has returned to Shelbourne on a permanent deal, subject to international clearance.
"I've got unfinished business here, I want to play my part in getting this club back to where it belongs," Wood said, in a statement released by the club this evening.
Shels boss Damien Duff hailed the move, saying: "It is amazing to have H back after a prolonged holiday in Grimsby. The best football he played in his career was with Shelbourne. The happiest he has been in his career was also with Shelbourne. That is why both parties were so eager to do this. Last year he made a massive impression in a short period. Now he will have a much bigger impact over a much longer length of time. Welcome home Harold. UTR
There are goings as well as comings in Tolka, with local favourite Shane Farrell departing Tolka Park for Drogheda United.
Farrell signed from Finglas United in 2018 and made over 150 appearances for Shels, winning the First Division title in 2019 and 2021.
In recent times, it was reported that he'd fallen out of favour with manager Damien Duff criticising his performances and lack of intensity in a very public fashion.
Galway United have confirmed the signing of striker Junior Ogedi-Uzokwe from Glentoran.
The 30-year-old returns to the League of Ireland having previously played with Derry City, Dundalk, Sligo Rovers and Bohemians.
Ogedi-Uzokwe was top scorer in the League of Ireland Premier Division in 2019, when he scored 14 goals for Derry City.
"I'm very happy," he told the Galway United website. "It’s been a long time coming to be fair. I’ve been speaking to John (Caulfield) for the past maybe year or so, where he wanted me to come to Galway and I don’t know, maybe at the time it wasn’t really the right time.
"But obviously now it’s just felt like the perfect time to be here. So yeah, I’m happy and hopefully I can just crack on and score some goals,"
Heading through the exit door at Eamonn Deacy Park is Al-Amin Kazeem, who has joined St Patrick's Athletic.
Kazeem played 20 times for Galway United on loan from Colchester United, his last appearance was in a 2-0 defeat to Shelbourne at Tolka Park last Friday.
The Tribesmen attemped to keep Kazeem on a permanent deal, only for Pat's to move in.
Saints boss Stephen Kenny said: "Al-Amin has excellent attributes for a left-back, he's really quick and a good attacking footballer but also loves to defend, often you can get left-wingers who are converted to left-backs and they like getting forward, but defensively they still have to learn the game, but Al-Amin certainly loves to defend as well.
"He has very good attributes and at 22, he has the capacity to improve and get better.He is someone with great values as a person and he has a real hunger to fulfil his potential, Al-Amin is very professional in the way he lives his life and the way he prepares, he will be an excellent addition to St Patrick's Athletic and we're looking forward to seeing him play."
Brazilian goalkeeper Marcelo Pitaluga has left the Inchicore side to return to parent club Liverpool. Pitaluga made seven appearances for the Saints at the beginning of the season but lost his place after making some high-profile errors.
Jad Hakiki has become Dundalk's third signing of the window, joining the Lilywhites on a permanent deal from Shelbourne.
Hakiki made 40 first-team appearances for Shelbourne, six of them coming in the league this season.
Hakiki's signing follows on from the earlier arrivals of Scottish midfielder Scott McGill and New Zealand winger Norman Garbett last week.
Sligo Rovers have signed Ollie Denham on a permanent basis from Cardiff City.
The centre half has signed an 18-month deal at the Showgrounds to extend his stay to the end of 2025, following an extremely impressive start to the season in a loan move.
Denham joined Rovers during pre-season for what was initially a six month spell from the Welsh side.
Bohemians have announced the signing of Leigh Kavanagh from Brighton on a multi-year contract.
The defender came through the Bray Wanderers Academy, making his first-team debut in 2020, having previously played schoolboy football at St Joseph's and St Kevin’s.
Kavanagh was named on a the bench on number of occasions by the now-departed Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi last season.
Bohs manager Alan Reynolds said: "Leigh is coming back home to relaunch his career and we are delighted to have him on board because he is a really exciting young prospect.
"He is a very highly regarded centre-back, who has been on the bench for the first team at Brighton. He fits the age profile and type of player we want to bring to the club.
"He's young, he’s hungry, good on the ball, and a really good defender. We are looking forward to getting to work with him."
Bohs also confirmed the signing of Scottish midfielder Archie Meekison from Dundee United on a multi-year deal.
Subject to International Transfer Certificate (ITC), Meekison will be eligible for Thursday’s SSE Airtricity Men’s Premier Division game away to Galway United.
Reynolds said: "Archie is a player I have been looking at for a while now. He is a really good footballer.
"I feel he is really going to complement the midfielders we have here at the club already as we look to push forward.
"He is technically really good, and needs to be playing now regularly so he can fulfil his potential, which I believe he will do here."
Meekison said: "I’ve read a lot about the club - I realise how big a club this is and I know its history, so I am really excited to sign here.
"The manager is looking to finish this season as strongly as possible and to get Bohemians back to where he wants the club to be.
"My goal is to help the team as much as I can to get us back to that place, and the potential of qualifying for and playing in Europe is a big attraction for me."
Along with Farrell, Drogheda United have confirmed the return of defender Elicha Ahui on a permanent deal from Lincoln City.
Ahui, who spent the first half of the 2023 season on loan at Weavers Park, has penned a deal that will keep him at Drogs until the end of the current campaign.
The 20-year-old joined Drogheda made 21 appearances for Kevin Doherty's side during the 2023 season and scored the winner in a 1-0 away victory over Derry City in April of that year.
He returned to his parent club Lincoln in June before embarking on loan spells at Ayr United in the Scottish Championship and at Peterborough Sports in the National League North.
📹 | Elicha Ahui gets on the end of a set piece for Drogheda United!#LOI | #DERDRO pic.twitter.com/Wbf7Ghf0WV
— League of Ireland (@LeagueofIreland) April 7, 2023
"When you know the player really well, it's an easy decision for me, but we had to work to get him in, and I’m delighted he’s a Drogheda player again," said Doherty on the return of Ahui.
One player who won't be there to greet Ahui is Evan Weir, after his loan spell from English League Two side Walsall came to an end.
The set-piece specialist scored 10 goals in 77 appearances across three seasons at Weavers Park.
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