Cathal Heffernan’s move from Milan to Newcastle expected to be confirmed later today

The Cork footballer, the son of the Olympic medallist Rob Heffernan, joined Milan in February 2022

Confirmation is expected later today of Cathal Heffernan’s move from AC Milan to Newcastle, after the 19-year-old from Cork impressed during a trial there earlier this month.

Heffernan’s year-long stint with Milan had come to an end, and while other Serie A clubs had expressed interest, a deal with the Newcastle Under-23 side appears imminent.

Heffernan’s father Rob, the 2013 World Champion race walker and Olympic bronze medal winner, tweeted a picture of his son and other family members about to board a flight to Newcastle midmorning on Tuesday, with a caption “Big day ahead!”.

Heffernan first joined Milan on loan from Cork City back in February 2022, before signing a permanent contract last June. City received a reported five-figure sum as part of the loan deal.

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Galway native Alex Murphy is already in the Newcastle Under-23 side, and Newcastle are also maintaining their long interest in Arsenal full-back Kieran Tierney as head coach Eddie Howe targets one final summer signing.

The Scottish international Tierney joined the Gunners in a £25 million move from Celtic in August 2019, with head coach Howe revealing on Friday that he hoped to be able to add one more signing to those of the expensively-assembled trio of Sandro Tonali, Harvey Barnes and Tino Livramento he has already drafted in.

Ian O'Riordan

Ian O'Riordan

Ian O'Riordan is an Irish Times sports journalist writing on athletics