'It’s naturally going to happen': Cathal O'Sullivan to fly Cork City nest in summer

Cork City expect to lose teen star Cathal O’Sullivan in July and don’t foresee him completing the season on Leeside as a loanee.

As the mercurial attacker, who led City’s turnaround win against Waterford on Monday, reached 18 in March, he is eligible to join a UK club once the summer transfer window opens.

City risk losing their prize asset for merely training compensation, around €300,000, if they insist on him seeing out his contract until the League of Ireland campaign concludes in October.

Pragmatism decrees that messy scenario being removed from the equation, paving the way for a straight transfer deal.

City have 11 league games remaining before the window opens on July 1.

A clutch of English Premier League clubs, including Newcastle United, Crystal Palace and Everton are tracking his situation and Tim Clancy doesn’t envisage a clause whereby they allow O’Sullivan staying with his hometown club as a temporary measure.

The City boss’s former club St Patrick’s Athletic in February negotiated a deal for Mason Melia that entails Tottenham Hotspur forking out €1.8m for Mason Melia. He will move to Spurs next January after the 18-year-old threshold has been reached.

After watching both players in action recently, Clancy said: “If Mason Melia is going for €2m, Cathal O'Sullivan should be going for about €10m.” While there was exaggeration in his assertion, the Rebels chief believes a bumper package would benefit all parties.

“It’s naturally going to happen,” Clancy said after O’Sullivan’s latest masterclass on Easter Monday.

“We’re not at a stage as an industry in this country where we can hold onto players of that talent. It’s the same with Mason Melia and hopefully (Shamrock Rovers manager) Stephen Bradley doesn’t take offence when I say Michael Noonan will more than likely leave at some stage too.

“Mason’s deal has broken the ceiling for transfer fees. For us to create that industry for academies and facilities, it needs to be built on the back of those transfers.

“We’re not thinking of that (loan) anyway. From a footballer’s point of view, as a young lad who gets a good move, I wouldn’t want to go back where I was.

“It might make sense on paper but sometimes that doesn’t work.” Clancy was once again effusive in his praise of the player he unleashed during last year’s First Division title success, noting how his maturity, both mentally and physically, was decisive in creating the goal that sent the Shed End into delirium.

“He nearly scored against Bohemians on Friday, hitting the target with his shot, and got in behind for the two best chances of today's first half,” he outlined.

“Although he should have scored earlier, towards the end of the game he’s up against a big, strong Kasper Radkowski and outmuscles him off the ball.

“Then he has the composure with his weaker foot to make a perfect pass for Kitt to score the winner.”