Stoke City and Bristol City are among several Championship clubs locked in a battle to sign Ireland midfielder Andrew Moran on loan from Brighton this season.
The 20-year-old, who earned his Irish senior debut last November, has risen through the ranks at the Seagulls since arriving from Bray Wanderers in 2020 and spent last term on loan at Blackburn, where he contributed four goals and nine assists across 41 appearances.
The Knocklyon man looks set for another campaign in the Championship with Stoke City and Bristol City, both of whom have Irish internationals on their books, leading the race for his signature this month, according to the Athletic.
Moran’s Ireland U-21 teammate Mark O’Mahony could also be departing the Premier League club for a Championship loan this campaign, with the 19-year-old linked with Sheffield Wednesday, who came 20th in England’s second-tier last season.
The striker (19) signed for the Seagulls from Cork City in January of last year and was soon promoted to the first-team before making his Premier League debut last April, just days after he put pen to paper on a new deal keeping him at the club until 2027.
After making his Ireland U-21 debut last March, the Carrigaline man earned his first start under Jim Crawford in the 2-2 friendly draw against England’s U-20s last June.
O’Mahony, as well as Moran, were both involved in Brighton’s pre-season trip to Japan but the Irish pair now appear set to gain further senior experience on loan in the Championship next term.
With 31-year-old Fabian Hurzeler taking over from Roberto De Zerbi earlier this summer, in June O’Mahony told the Irish Independent that he’d be happy with whatever plan the new Brighton boss had in mind.
The club begin their new top-flight campaign away to Séamus Coleman’s Everton this Saturday.
“A good pre-season is the aim, you want to impress the new manager,” O’Mahony told the Irish Independent, in an exclusive interview while on U-21 duty in Croatia.
“Obviously, we’ll have to see about a loan or if I’ll stay, it just depends on what the new manager wants for me. If he wants me to go out or stay, I’d be happy with both.
