Michael Noonan to make move to Nottingham Forest in January

Premier League club Nottingham Forest have announced the signing of Shamrock Rovers striker Michael Noonan on a pre-contract deal, which will see Noonan remain as a Hoop until the end of the 2026 Premier Division season.

The 18-year-old, who has scored eight times for Rovers this season, had a number of suitors, but the Premier League side prevailed, managing to get the highly rated striker on a free transfer.

Both Rovers and St. Patrick’s Athletic, where he played at underage level, will receive significant training compensation from Forest.

"Michael is a player we, along with a number of other clubs, have followed closely for some time, so we're delighted he has chosen Nottingham Forest,” Forest CFO George Syrianos told the BBC.

The current Ireland under-21 international made his senior debut for the Tallaght side in a UEFA Conference League game in February of 2025, at the last 16 playoff stage.

His goal against Molde in that game saw him become the youngest ever goal scorer in a European club competition.

Since then, he’s played 81 times for the Hoops, scoring 17 goals and providing five assists. Noonan also played a strong role in Shamrock Rovers’ league and cup double win in 2025.

Noonan joins his current teammate, Victor Ozhianvuna, in moving to the Premier League next year, with Ozhianvuna penning a multi-million transfer deal from Rovers to Arsenal, which will also come to fruition in January.

Ahead of his move across the Irish Sea, Noonan’s final game for Stephen Bradley’s side will likely be away to Dundalk on the final day of the season, as the Premier Division title race remains in tight contention.

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— extratime.com (@extratime.com) 29 September 2026 at 21:34

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