EVERTON appear to be close to sealing their first signing of the summer, after targeting the League of Ireland to boost their squad.
Shelbourne manager John McDonnell confirmed that the Merseyside club are in talks to sign Ryan Robinson, in a move that would take the young centre half across the Irish Sea.
Everton boss Roberto Martinez was impressed with Robinson during a recent trial and negotiations for his purchase have reached an advanced stage.
The Toffees will be hoping that the 18-year-old will follow in the footsteps of Seamus Coleman, who they bought for €80,000 from Sligo Rovers in 2009.
McDonnell insists that Everton will not benefit from the same bargain, and that Shelbourne will secure a good deal for Robinson.
“Everton are chipping away with us on Ryan at the moment and we hope to get the deal over the line soon,” he said.
“The initial fee won’t make us millionaires but we’ll make sure it’s heavy on the end of it. It might be better for us to go for the add-ons and everything else.
“Ryan certainly has a big future in the game.
“Everton would have seen a rawness to him but he has a lot going for him. We’d have no problem allowing him to move on to a better level in England.”
Robinson was handed his league debut against Waterford United last week, and has just been called into the Ireland U19 squad for next week’s UEFA elite stage qualifiers.
The young player is keen to establish himself in England, even taking to Twitter to say that Coleman will look out for him if he joins secures the move to Everton.
He joined Shelbourne from St. Kevin’s Boys at the start of the U19 season in July 2013 after captaining his former Under 17 side to a treble, securing the DDSL 17 Premier title, the DDSL Cup and the All-Ireland trophy in his final season with the club.
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