Minnesota United: Looking to youth with Irish full-back

According to media sources in Ireland, Minnesota United are interested in Bohemian FC full back and Ireland youth international Darragh Leahy. They are looking to youth, and it might be a wise move.

Per Irish media outlet The Independent, Minnesota United are targeting an Irish youth international.

20-year-old left-back Darragh Leahy, who spent last season in his native Ireland with Dublin-based Bohemian FC, is reportedly the player on Minnesota’s radar.

Leahy is apparently on manager Stephen Kenny’s radar for an Ireland U-21 National Team call-up soon as well, after he made eight appearances and scored three goals with Ireland’s U-19s, even captaining the side on one occasion.

After failing to break through at English League Two side Coventry City, Leahy made the choice to return to Ireland for first-team experience and play for Bohemian FC, where he appeared in 24 matches last season.

More from MLS Multiplex

• Javier Milei Elected in Argentina: Potential Impacts on MLS and Signings of Argentine Players
• Orlando City and New York City FC in the Battle for Matías Arezo; Grêmio Enters Negotiations! Who Will Come Out on Top?
• USA, Honduras, Panama, and Canada Close in on a Spot in the 2024 Copa America
• De Gea Turns Down Al-Nassr’s Lucrative Offer: Speculation Points to Possible Reunion with Messi at Inter Miami
• Messi’s Magnetic Impact in the United States

The Loons will surely be hoping that the experience he gained in the League of Ireland last season is what he needed to be able to play above a League Two level, as MLS would be a step up from that. Although at 20, even if Leahy is not ready from the off, he does have time on his side to progress, develop and eventually make his way in the senior game.

Mainly a left-back, although he can also play as a center-back, Leahy would likely be competing with captain Francisco Calvo on the left if he came to Minnesota. That means that a USL loan to Forward Madison could be in the cards, unless Calvo is moving back to center-back, although he performed better for the club when on the left side of the defense.

Should Leahy stay with the first team though, he would do well to be able to learn from an experienced player like Calvo, who played in the World Cup last summer with Costa Rica and has two full MLS seasons under his belt already. That is the perfect position for Leahy to learn and master the position. And it also makes sense for Minnesota to invest in the potential, rather than waiting until his talent takes him to places above that of an MLS team.

As we have seen from the likes of Alphonso Davies and Tyler Adams this year, there is great value in developing young players and then selling them on for a substantial profit. Looking to a younger market is a very wise and smart investment, and it seems as though Minnesota may be hoping to follow a similar path.

Will the Loons sign Leahy? How will his game translate to MLS and how does he fit into the side? These are certainly some interesting questions that will be answered in the coming weeks, as MNUFC’s offseason continues.