Shamrock Rovers are considering an improved Charlotte FC offer for Jack Byrne ahead of Monday’s MLS transfer deadline.
The American outfit - where Byrne’s former Manchester City youth coach Christian Lattanzio is manager - had one offer slapped down by the Hoops while another remains on the table.
The initial bid was a derisory five-figure sum designed to test the water, which was then improved to a moderate six-figure amount - but only formally received last night.
That offer - well shy of a League of Ireland record - has yet to be accepted or rejected by the Irish champions but sources believe a final decision on a transfer - one way or the other - will be made today.
Byrne is out-of-contract at the end of this season and Charlotte have retained an interest since 2021, when they considered signing him after his tough spell in Cyprus.
The Republic of Ireland international returned to Dublin instead and won his second league title with Rovers in 2022, and has been in good form so far this season.
The Hoops are reluctant to lose Byrne but could cash in if the playmaker is determined to test himself in the MLS, where players can earn good contracts.
Charlotte are struggling this season and sit second bottom of the MLS Eastern Conference, just three points clear of Montreal.
Talks between all parties will continue today ahead of tomorrow’s derby clash at St Pat’s, and Monday’s international transfer deadline in the MLS.
Without or without Byrne in the side tomorrow, St Pat’s boss Tim Clancy knows the champions will pose serious questions of his in-form Saints at a sold-out Richmond Park.
It was the point in Tallaght on St Patrick’s Day that turned the tables for St Pat’s having lost three in-a-row before it, whereas they are now chasing a fifth win on the spin.
And that run of form has propelled Clancy’s men up to second, just four points adrift of Bohemians who they came from behind to beat 3-2 at Dalymount last week.
But Clancy accepts that Rovers are starting to fire after a sluggish start themselves and while intent on stopping them in their tracks tonight, he knows they have gears to find.
“They are capable of winning 10 or 15 games in-a-row as they are a hugely talented, well-coached squad and they'll be very hard to beat this year," he warned.
“Rovers are going for their fourth league in-a-row and I still believe if anyone finishes above Shamrock Rovers this year they will win the league.”
Asked if that can be his own team, Clancy smiled and said: “If we get more points than them, yeah!
“Listen, two weeks ago we wanted to try to win a game, and now all of a sudden we have won a couple.
“We had a positive response to a really bad week three or four weeks ago and we want to try to continue the little run we are on.
“The next game is a huge test again, like last week was, going away to the league leaders. We managed to dig out a win. We’ll have to be at our best to win tomorrow.”
Clancy added: “We want to improve on last year, whether that be points tally, goals scored, goal conceded.
“We want to go further in domestic competitions, higher in the league, further in Europe. That's the aim.
“You don't set out and go ‘this is exactly what we want’, but you want to see improvement - that's the most important thing.”
But while Rovers continue to monitor the unfolding Byrne situation, St Pat’s already know they will be without captain Joe Redmond tomorrow.
The ex-Birmingham City defender had played 51 consecutive games for the club since joining from Drogheda United, until he missed the win over Bohs last week.
Redmond - an Ireland Under-21 and expected to be in demand this summer - will see a specialist over his hamstring injury and Saints are being guarded on how long he is out for.
It's a cause for concern and Clancy said: “We still don’t know the extent of it but I’d imagine we won’t see Joe for the next few weeks anyway.”
