Udinese confirmed on Monday evening that Ireland U21 international Festy Ebosele will join the club at the end of the season.
The 19-year-old from Enniscorthy, whose deal with Derby runs out this summer, will sign a five-year contract with the Serie A side.
He will leave Derby after four years, and a season which has seen him become integral in the club's attempts to avoid relegation from the Championship. Ebosele has played 30 times in the league this season, scoring twice.
The Derby Telegraph reports that the club would like to have kept Ebosele but as they are under a transfer embargo, they are unable to offer new contracts.
'Festy Ebosele can go right to the top'
Derby manager Wayne Ronney believes Ebosele moving to Italy is not the right move for the player, adding that "It is always difficult for a young player to go abroad". Though, that is something he has already done in leaving Ireland and moving to England.
"If you are asking me do I think it is the right move for him, then no I don't," Rooney told the Derby Telegraph.
"I think he should stay in England. Whether it is a move where he goes there to go back to England, obviously we know Udinese are a sister club to Watford, we don't know.
"I think he should have stayed in England, kept learning to play the game here then he really has a chance. It is always difficult for a young player to go abroad."
Welcome Festy #Ebosele 🇮🇪 🙌
⚪️⚫️ #ForzaUdinese #AlèUdin #BenvenutoEbosele pic.twitter.com/mylHQoXPeU
— Udinese Calcio (@Udinese_1896) March 21, 2022
Rooney thinks that Ebosele could be a "superstar".
"He can be what he wants," said Rooney.
"He really needs to keep his focus, his concentration, and keep learning to develop.
"Just by sheer pace and power alone he has got something which every player wants. The next part of that is the details, which I talk about after games. Details to his game. If he gets them right, he can go right to the top."
Ebosele will be joined at Udinese by fellow Ireland underage international James Abankwah.
Picture credits: Marco Lissoni / Shutterstock.com and Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile
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