Johnny Kenny says he is ready to “jumpstart” his career at Shamrock Rovers.
The 19-year-old Celtic striker has cut short his loan move to Scottish side Queens Park to sign for the Hoops on a similar deal for the season.
Kenny had featured 12 times for the Scottish League One side.
The ex-Sligo Rovers star explained that Stephen Bradley’s record at setting young players on the path to big cross-channel moves was one of the motivations behind his decision to return to the League of Ireland.
“This is massive for me, because at the moment I really feel like I need a jumpstart to get back to where I was at Sligo,” he said.
“That (Bradley’s record) was big for me. There are a lot of players that Stephen has brought in and who have left for the UK. That’s what I think I need.”
Kenny was also impressed by Bradley’s plans for 2023, with Rovers pushing for a fourth consecutive Premier Division crown and a return to the group stages in Europe.
“It’s great to be here. I couldn’t wait to get here once I spoke with the manager. Now it’s just time to get down to work,” he said.
“There were a few clubs sniffing about, but once I spoke to Stephen about his ambitions for the club, and what they’ve done in the past few years, winning leagues and in the group stages last year, you want to play at the highest level.
“That’s why I want to come back here and get a smile on my face.”
Hoops boss Bradley was delighted to get the deal over the line.
He was looking to add to his striking options following the recent departure of Aidomo Emakhu to Millwall.
Bradley had been linked with a number of forwards, including Colm Whelan, but the UCD hitman made the switch to Derry City earlier this month.
Addressing the arrival of Kenny, Bradley said: “We like his attributes and the way he plays the game. We've liked him and monitored him for quite some time.
“We tried to get him a couple of years back and it didn't quite come off so we're delighted to get him, because he has some really good attributes that we feel will improve the team.
“I think we've got really good options up front and when you add John into that mix. It only adds to it.
“We have Rory (Gaffney), Graham (Burke) and Aaron (Greene) and then when you add Simon (Power) and Neil (Farrugia) to that, we've got real pace in that final third.
“But we're always looking to improve in every area of the pitch, and we feel Johnny represents a chance for us to improve.
“He gives us a different option to what we have and a different type of player to what we have at the moment.”
Kenny scored 12 goals during his first season in the League of Ireland in 2021, including one in Europe.
His form caught the attention of Celtic, who signed him on a five-year deal last January, before they loaned him to Queens Park in August.
Bradley added: “We know what he's about and we've seen it first-hand, so there's no surprises for us or for him.
“He knows the league and we know Johnny. In this team, with the chances we create and the way he plays, I think he'll really enjoy it and score goals.
“I went and sat down with Johnny a few weeks back and we had a couple of hours together and a good chat.
“One thing that really stood out for me was that he's really motivated to improve and kick on again.
“He's still very young and there's still lots of growth left in him. We feel we can help him fulfil that potential and he obviously feels he can fulfil that potential here, so it looks like a good fit for both.
“I'm delighted to get him in, and I can't wait to start working with him.”
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