Luca Connell
![]() Connell playing for Bolton Wanderers U18s in 2017 | |||
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | Luca John Connell[1] | ||
Date of birth | [2] | 20 April 2001||
Place of birth | Liverpool, England | ||
Height | 5 ft 11 in (1.81 m)[2] | ||
Position(s) |
Defensive midfielder | ||
Team information | |||
Current team | Barnsley | ||
Number | 48 | ||
Youth career | |||
2010–2019 | Bolton Wanderers | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
2019 | Bolton Wanderers | 10 | (0) |
2019–2022 | Celtic | 0 | (0) |
2021 | → Queen's Park (loan) | 11 | (3) |
2021–2022 | → Queen's Park (loan) | 27 | (7) |
2022– | Barnsley | 68 | (3) |
International career‡ | |||
2018 | Republic of Ireland U17 | 4 | (0) |
2018 |
Republic of Ireland U18 | 3 | (0) |
2019 | Republic of Ireland U19 | 3 | (0) |
2021 | Republic of Ireland U21 | 3 | (0) |
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 21:12, 12 May 2024 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 17:17, 29 September 2022 (UTC) |
Luca John Connell (born 20 April 2001) is an Irish professional
Early life
Connell was born in Liverpool, Merseyside.[2]
Club career
Bolton Wanderers
Connell joined Bolton Wanderers at the age of nine.[3] He joined the under-18s as a first-year scholar for the 2017–18 season, and was promoted to the under-23s for the 2018–19 campaign.[4]
On 5 January 2019, Connell made his competitive debut in a 5–2 win over Walsall in the FA Cup Third Round as an 89th minute substitute replacing Luke Murphy.[5] Two weeks later, he was named as unused substitute in a 2–0 league defeat to West Bromwich Albion.[6] On 25 January, Connell started his first senior game in a 2–1 defeat to Bristol City in the FA Cup fourth round and assisted Mark Beevers' goal.[7] He was rewarded with a league debut four days later in a 1–1 draw against Reading.[8] Connell's scholarship contract was extended for a further year on 21 May 2019.[9]
Celtic
On 29 June 2019, Connell signed a four-year deal with Celtic for a fee of around £350,000.[10][11]
Connell was loaned to Queen's Park in March 2021 and again in September 2021.[12][13] He helped them achieve back to back promotions during his two loan spells (from League Two to League One and then from League One to the Championship).[14][15]
On 3 June 2022, it was announced that Connell had been released by Celtic, despite having a year left on his contract. He left without having made a senior appearance during his three years with the club.[16]
Barnsley
On 17 June 2022, Connell returned to England to join League One club Barnsley on a three year contract.[17]
International career
Connell is eligible to represent both England and the Republic of Ireland.[18][19]
In August 2017, Connell was invited to train with the
He was called up to the under-18s for the first time in November 2018, and made his debut in a 2–1 win against Belgium. In the following days, Connell started in a 3–1 defeat to England and 1–0 win against the Netherlands.[21] In March 2019, he was called up to the under-19s. Connell featured in victories against Romania, Azerbaijan and Russia as Ireland qualified for the UEFA European Under-19 Championship.[22]
In May 2019 he received his first call-up to the Republic of Ireland senior national team.[23] Connell's first trip with the Republic of Ireland squad ended prematurely though as he was forced to pull out of the squad with a thigh strain.[24]
Connell made his Republic of Ireland U21 debut on 26 March 2021, playing the full 90 minutes in a 2–1 win over Wales U21 in Wrexham.[25]
Career statistics
- As of match played on 11 March 2023[26]
Club | Season | League | National cup | League cup | Other | Total | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
Bolton Wanderers | 2018–19 | EFL Championship | 10 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 12 | 0 | |
Celtic | 2019–20 | Scottish Premiership | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | |
2020–21 | Scottish Premiership | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | ||
2021–22 | Scottish Premiership | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | |||
Total | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | |||
Celtic U20
|
2019–20 | — | — | — | — | 2[a] | 0 | 2 | 0 | |||
2021–22[2] | — | — | — | — | 1[a] | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||||
Total | — | — | — | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | |||||
Queen's Park (loan) | 2020–21 | Scottish League Two | 11 | 3 | — | — | — | 11 | 3 | |||
Queen's Park (loan) | 2021–22 | Scottish League One | 27 | 7 | 1 | 0 | — | 3[b] | 0 | 31 | 7 | |
Barnsley | 2022–23 | EFL League One | 29 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1[c] | 0 | 35 | 2 |
Career total | 77 | 12 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 91 | 12 |
- ^ a b Appearance(s) in Scottish Challenge Cup
- ^ Appearance(s) in Scottish Championship play-offs
- ^ Appearance in the EFL Trophy
Honours
Queen's Park
- Scottish League Two: 2020–21[14]
- Scottish League One promotion play-offs: 2022[15]
Individual
References
- ^ "Club list of registered players: As at 19th May 2018: Bolton Wanderers" (PDF). English Football League. p. 7. Archived (PDF) from the original on 13 June 2018. Retrieved 2 March 2019.
- ^ a b c d "L. Connell: Summary". Soccerway. Perform Group. Retrieved 20 March 2022.
- ^ Iles, Marc (20 July 2018). "Liverpool and Everton's loss is Wanderers' gain, says Under-18s boss". The Bolton News. Archived from the original on 6 January 2019. Retrieved 28 January 2019.
- ^ a b Norris, Emma (8 August 2017). "Academy trio selected to train with their respective nations' youth sides". Bolton Wanderers FC. Archived from the original on 30 January 2019. Retrieved 30 January 2019.
- ^ "Bolton Wanderers 5–2 Walsall". BBC Sport. 5 January 2019. Archived from the original on 28 January 2019. Retrieved 28 January 2019.
- ^ Freeman, Jay (21 January 2019). "Bolton Wanderers 0–2 West Bromwich Albion". BBC Sport. Archived from the original on 23 January 2019. Retrieved 28 January 2019.
- ^ "Bristol City 2–1 Bolton Wanderers". BBC Sport. 25 January 2019. Archived from the original on 28 January 2019. Retrieved 28 January 2019.
- ^ "Bolton Wanderers 1–1 Reading". BBC Sport. 29 January 2019. Archived from the original on 30 January 2019. Retrieved 30 January 2019.
- ^ "Option taken up on third year scholarship extensions for quartet". www.bwfc.co.uk.
- ^ "Celtic sign highly-rated Luca Connell on four-year deal". Celtic. 29 June 2019. Retrieved 29 June 2019.
- ^ "Wanderers aided by 'generous' Celtic fee as Luca Connell walks out". The Bolton News.
- ^ "Celtic teen Luca Connell makes loan move to Queen's Park". www.rte.ie. 18 March 2021. Retrieved 21 March 2021.
- ^ "Luca Connell Re-joins Spiders". queensparkfc.co.uk. Queens Park FC. 17 September 2021. Retrieved 17 September 2021.
- ^ a b "Celtic youngster Luca Connell helps SPFL side to promotion". 67 Hail Hail. 21 April 2021.
- ^ a b "Queen's Park beat Airdrie to reach Championship". BBC Sport.
- ^ "Luca Connell released by Celtic after unsuccessful three-year stint". independent.
- ^ "LUCA CONNELL JOINS THE REDS". www.barnsleyfc.co.uk. 17 June 2022.
- ^ "Exciting Irish U18 international makes Championship debut amid links to Spurs". The 42. 29 January 2019. Archived from the original on 18 April 2019. Retrieved 18 April 2019.
- ^ Skelly, Ed (16 February 2019). "Gossip: England keen on Luca Connell switching international allegiances". Lion of Vienna Suite. Archived from the original on 18 April 2019. Retrieved 18 April 2019.
- ^ "Under-17 - Luca Connell". UEFA.com. UEFA. Archived from the original on 6 January 2019. Retrieved 30 January 2019.
- ^ O'Gara, Mikey (16 November 2018). "International round-up: Luca Connell represents Republic of Ireland U18s". Bolton Wanderers FC. Archived from the original on 6 January 2019. Retrieved 30 January 2019.
- ^ "Luca Connell". uefa.com. UEFA. Retrieved 13 April 2019.
- ^ "Luca Connell: Bolton youngster handed first Republic of Ireland call-up". BBC Sport. 20 May 2019.
- ^ "Luca Connell forced out of Ireland squad through injury". www.irishexaminer.com. 29 May 2019. Archived from the original on 29 May 2019. Retrieved 29 May 2019.
- ^ https://www.fai.ie/ireland/news/report-u21-comeback-to-beat-wales [dead link]
- Soccerbase. Retrieved 13 June 2019.
- ^ "Erling Haaland: Manchester City forward wins PFA men's Player of the Year award". BBC Sport. 29 August 2023. Retrieved 29 August 2023.
External links
- Profile at BWFC.co.uk