St Patrick’s Athletic defender James Abankwah has signed for Italian Serie A side Udinese, according to reports in Italy.
Gazzetta Della Sport have reported that the 17-year-old will spend the first half of the season on loan at Richmond Park before moving to Udine in the summer.
The Longford defender made his breakthrough with the Athletic last season and made 12 appearances in all competitions for the FAI Cup winners.
Ball-playing centre-back Abankwah, who came through the ranks with Cherry Orchard, played 40 minutes as the Saints won the FAI Cup on penalties in November.
He will now continue his football development in Friuli Venezia Giulia but not before spending the first half of the season with Tim Clancy’s Athletic.
Abankwah won’t be the only Irish player on the books of a Serie A club, however, as former Shamrock Rovers winger Kevin Zefi is at champions Inter Milan.
The League of Ireland's standing overseas has increased in recent seasons with Shamrock Rovers defenders Roberto Lopes now linked with a move to a higher level on the continent.
“Udinese have signed defender James Abankwah (born in 2004), but will leave him at St. Patrick's Athletic until the end of the season,” said Gazzetta Della Sport.
“Only from next summer the Irishman of Ghanaian origin will join the Friulian team.”
