Bohemian FC is delighted to confirm the signing of centre-back Leigh Kavanagh from Brighton on a multi-year contract.
The 20-year-old joins after spending four years with Brighton having previously come through the Bray Wanderers Academy, making his first-team debut in 2020, before which he played schoolboy football at St Joseph’s and St Kevin’s.
Subject to International Transfer Certificate (ITC), Kavanagh will be eligible for Thursday’s SSE Airtricity Men’s Premier Division game away to Galway United.
Manager Alan Reynolds said: “Leigh is coming back home to relaunch his career and we are delighted to have him on board because he is a really exciting young prospect.
“He is a very highly regarded centre-back, who has been on the bench for the first team at Brighton. He fits the age profile and type of player we want to bring to the club.
“He’s young, he’s hungry, good on the ball, and a really good defender. We are looking forward to getting to work with him.”
Kavanagh said: “I am a ball-playing centre-half and I feel I am aggressive, passionate and will do everything to win and get three points every week.
“Bohs is a huge club. The stadium is packed out every week, so Bohs caught the eye straight away when I heard the club was interested.
“Alan Reynolds and Stephen O’Donnell spoke to me about the plans they have here and how they want the team to evolve, and I want to be a part of that.
“I have looked at players’ pathways coming back to the League of Ireland from the UK, and I believe coming into Bohs and into the full-time set-up here will really help me progress as a player.”
There were some familiar faces when joins up with the squad, with Kavanagh adding: “I grew up playing with and against Cian Byrne. When I was with St Joseph’s, he was with Lourdes and then we played together for a year at St Kevin’s, so I am looking forward to playing alongside him again.
“I know Brian McManus well too, and he spoke very highly of the club and the set-up.
“I also spoke with Jamie Mullins, who is at Brighton now having come through at Bohs, and he gave me a real feel for the club, and I also spoke to players with the Ireland U21s who told me about Alan Reynolds and how he wants to work, so I can’t wait to get started.”
