Dundalk FC make two new additions ahead of league opener

Dundalk FC have made two new additions to their squad ahead of the start of the league season on Friday.Yesterday, the club announced the signing of goalkeeper George Shelvey from Nottingham Forest, pending international clearance.

The 22-year-old arrives at Oriel Park on a permanent transfer.

“Forest spoke to me when the transfer window opened and said that Dundalk were really interested in signing me,” said Shelvey.

“I just kept my focus on training and playing and tried to let other people sort it out but I knew in the back of my mind that coming here would be a big step for me.

“I spoke to a couple of the Irish lads at Forest and they told me that the League of Ireland is very competitive and every game is a tough environment.

“It’s time for me to play every week and show people what I can do and try and achieve stuff at Dundalk. It’s a massive club with a rich history and I can’t wait to get going.”

After signing for his hometown club in the summer of 2018, Shelvey helped Forest’s Premier League 2 side to the play-off final in 2022 and had brief loan spells at Truro City, Wealdstone and Mansfield Town.

He was drafted into Forest’s first-team squad during the 2022/23 season, where he trained alongside international goalkeepers Keylor Navas, Dean Henderson and Wayne Hennessy.

Shelvey was named on the bench for Forest’s Premier League fixture against Tottenham Hotspur and the Carabao Cup semi-final against Manchester United at Old Trafford and started in several pre-season friendlies last summer.

“George is a player we have been looking at for a long time so we’re delighted to have brought him to Dundalk and we’re looking forward to getting him integrated into the group,” said Lilywhites head coach Stephen O’Donnell.

“He has been in and around a Premier League environment, trained with many top keepers and is at a good age to establish a career for himself so we are looking for him to come in and make a big impact.”

Meanwhile, this morning the club announced the arrival of Zak Johnson on a loan move from Sunderland, pending international clearance.

The 19-year-old central defender is the club’s fourth, and final, loan signing, and our 11th new arrival ahead of the start of the 2024 SSE Airtricity Men’s Premier Division campaign.

“When Sunderland agreed that I should go and get some minutes elsewhere, I set up a Zoom call with the gaffer here and Brian Gartland and I was hooked straight away,” said Johnson.

“I know for my development that I need to play first-team football and I think this will be a great opportunity for me to take a big step forward in my career.”

Johnson joined his hometown club as an eight-year-old and became the youngest outfield player to play for Sunderland in 50 years when he made his debut in a Papa John’s Trophy clash with Manchester United in October 2021 at the age of 16.

After signing a professional deal with the English Championship club in 2022, he made his first start in a Carabao Cup tie with Crewe Alexandra and captained the England U18 side at a tournament in Portugal in the summer of 2023.

Johnson spent time on loan at Hartlepool United from September to January, making 12 appearances for the National League side.

“Zak has had first-team experience already this season with Hartlepool and he captained England U18s last summer which is a great achievement considering the wealth of talent at underage level,” said Dundalk FC head coach Stephen O’Donnell.

“Physically, he is a big specimen and he has a good personality and we are looking forward to having him in the group.”