Graham Barrett, the 21-year-old who scored on his senior international debut against Finland last August, has joined Coventry City on a Bosman free transfer, bringing to an end his six-year stay at Arsenal.
The Dubliner, who was signed by Arsene Wenger on the recommendation of Liam Brady in 1997, had been in talks with the first division club this week but finalised a three-year deal yesterday after passing his medical.
Barrett, who played his schoolboy football with Kilnamanagh, signed professional forms with Arsenal in 1998 and made three appearances before being loaned out to Bristol Rovers, Crewe and Colchester.
He spent most of last season on loan at Brighton, where he scored one goal in 20 starts, but was offered a new contract at Arsenal, which he turned down for the promise of regular first-team football.
"We were interested in Graham earlier this season but Arsenal wanted money for him then and everybody knows we haven't got any," said Coventry manager Gary McAllister.
"He didn't score a lot of goals for Brighton, but he is a quality young player with a lot of determination, somebody who can give us that wee spark up the park. He could have stayed at Arsenal but he wants to be involved, he wants to prove himself, and that's the sort of hunger and pedigree we want."
Barrett is Coventry's second Irish signing this summer following the arrival of Michael Doyle from Celtic but the club's two senior Irish internationals, Keith O'Neill and Barry Quinn, have both been transfer-listed.
The club is particularly keen to remove O'Neill, one of the highest-paid players at Coventry, from their wage bill but he has two years left on his contract and has made it clear he will not move unless he receives an attractive offer.
"I feel I am still capable of playing in the Premiership and could obviously do a good job in the first division, but I won't be dropping down lower than that," he said. "Hopefully things will sort themselves out with Coventry and I will get a new club, but if nothing gets sorted I am not going to leave because I have still got two years left."
Meanwhile Barrett's Irish under-21 team-mate Clifford Byrne, currently preparing for three games in nine days against Germany, Albania and Georgia, looks set to sign for Scunthorpe United, where he spent three months of last season on loan. Byrne, who was invited to train with the senior squad last week by Brian Kerr, has verbally agreed a three-year deal with the third division club after being released by Sunderland, along with fellow Irish players Phil Babb, Stephen Capper and Keith Graydon.
Sheffield Wednesday manager Chris Turner, meanwhile, says he remains hopeful of signing Michael Reddy, who has a year left on his contract at Sunderland.
Former international Dave Savage is in transfer talks with Bristol Rovers after being offered a one-year contract on reduced terms at Oxford United, while Adrian Deane, a member of the Irish under-20 squad, has signed a new one-year deal at Charlton. Neale Fenn, the former under-21 international, has been offered by Peterborough to non-league Barnet as part of a swap deal that would take Junior Agogo to the second division club, while Waterford teenager Stephen Gahan has joined Rushden and Diamonds from Aston Villa.
REPUBLIC OF IRELAND UNDER-21 SQUAD: Stack (Arsenal), Deeney (Notts County), Connor (Waterford United), Kelly (Tottenham), Brennan (Newcastle), Byrne (Sunderland), Thompson (Nottingham Forest), Capper (Sunderland), Cryan (Sheffield United), Kohlmann (Borussia Dortmund), Butler (Sunderland), Miller (Celtic, capt), Thornton (Sunderland), Hoolahan (Shelbourne), Gilroy (Scarborough), Ward (Wolves), Barrett (Coventry), O'Connor (Brentford), O'Flynn (Cork City), Reid (Nottingham Forest), Walters (Bolton Wanderers).
