Striker seals record-breaking transfer after Celtic interest but Brexit rules means he can't make PL debut for 12 months
Celtic missed out on another striker target to a Premier League club on transfer Deadline Day
Promising teenage striker Mason Melia has opted to snub a move to Celtic after agreeing to join English Premier League giants Tottenham Hotspur for what has been announced as a “record transfer fee for a League of Ireland striker”.
The 17-year-old wonderkid, who plays for St Patrick’s Athletic, was linked with a move to Parkhead last month as manager Brendan Rodgers scoured a market he knows extremely well in his pursuit to land another forward option.
But Melia - who made his senior debut in May 2023 and became the youngest scorer in Irish league history at just 15 years and 281 days old - has decided to head for North London and join forces with ex-Hoops boss Ange Postecoglou, who boasts an impressive track record of developing young players and giving them a clear pathway to the first-team.
The deal is reportedly worth an initial £1.6 million plus add-ons, but current Brexit rules mean the County Wicklow native will NOT be able to join Spurs until January 2026 after his 18th birthday. Melia has signed a five-year contract after netting 10 times in 54 appearances for St Pat’s.
He recently earned a first call-up to the Republic of Ireland Under-21 squad in October 2024, having demonstrated maturity far beyond his years across the pond.
It the latest setback for the Scottish champions with Celtic’s reported interest in the striker failing to yield the result they craved.
A Tottenham club statement read: “We are delighted to announce that we have reached an agreement with League of Ireland side St Patrick’s Athletic for the transfer of Mason Melia. The 17-year-old forward has agreed a deal that will run until 2031 and will join us in January, 2026”
St Pat’s manager Stephen Kenny heaped praise on Melia’s ability as a proven goalscorer, adding that he is confident the youngster will enjoy a successful international career.
Speaking to the club’s official website after the deal was concluded, Kenny said: “Mason is a terrific talent with an exceptional attitude and a real appetite for hard work.
“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. Mason has repeated those performances at international level for Ireland and has a bright future ahead for his country.”