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Luca Connell
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Luca John Connell (born 20 April 2001) is an Irish professional footballer. He plays as a defensive midfielder for EFL League One side Barnsley. He started his senior career with Bolton Wanderers before moving to Celtic, from whom he spent two loan spells at Queen's Park. He has represented the Republic of Ireland at under-17 to under-21 levels.
Key Information
Early life
[edit]Club career
[edit]Bolton Wanderers
[edit]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
[edit]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
[edit]On 17 June 2022, Connell returned to England to join League One club Barnsley on a three-year contract before helping Barnsley advance to the EFL League One Playoff Finals.
On 8 August 2024, Barnsley F.C confirmed Connell as the club's captain, alongside Marc Roberts who was named as the club's vice-captain.[17]
International career
[edit]Connell is eligible to represent both England and the Republic of Ireland.[18][19]
In August 2017, Connell was invited to train with the Republic of Ireland under-17 squad.[4] On 21 March 2018, Connell made his international debut at under-17 level in a 3–0 win against Macedonia. Three days later, he featured in a 2–0 victory against Georgia. In May 2018, Connell made two appearances in the 2018 UEFA European Under-17 Championship group stages, playing in wins against Denmark and Bosnia and Herzegovina.[20]
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
[edit]- As of match played on 1 January 2026[26]
| Club | Season | League | National cup[a] | League cup[b] | 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[c] | 0 | 2 | 0 | |||
| 2021–22[2] | — | — | — | — | 1[c] | 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[d] | 0 | 31 | 7 | |
| Barnsley | 2022–23 | EFL League One | 39 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4[e] | 0 | 48 | 2 |
| 2023–24 | EFL League One | 24 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 29 | 1 | |
| 2024–25 | EFL League One | 41 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 46 | 2 | |
| 2025–26 | EFL League One | 20 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 27 | 2 | |
| Total | 124 | 7 | 9 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 150 | 7 | ||
| Career total | 172 | 17 | 12 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 16 | 0 | 207 | 17 | ||
- ^ Includes FA Cup, Scottish Cup
- ^ Includes EFL Cup, Scottish League Cup
- ^ a b Appearance(s) in Scottish Challenge Cup
- ^ Appearance(s) in Scottish Championship play-offs
- ^ Appearance in the EFL Trophy
Honours
[edit]Queen's Park
- Scottish League Two: 2020–21[14]
- Scottish League One promotion play-offs: 2022[15]
Individual
References
[edit]- ^ "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 announced as club captain Barnsley Football Club, Retrieved on 8 August 2024.
- ^ "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. 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. 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]
- ^ "Statistics". 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
[edit]Luca Connell
View on Grokipediafrom Grokipedia
Personal background
Early life
Luca Connell was born on 20 April 2001 in Liverpool, Merseyside, England.[1] Public information regarding Connell's family background is limited, with details primarily centered on his maternal heritage. His mother's parents were both born in Dublin, Ireland, and met while on holiday in Blackpool, establishing his eligibility for Irish nationality through his grandparents.[10][11] His grandmother, known as his "Nan," resided in Liverpool and played a significant role in reinforcing his connection to Ireland. No specific details are publicly available about his parents' occupations or any siblings.[10][12] Growing up in Liverpool, a city renowned for its intense football culture, Connell developed an early passion for the sport amid the local environment's emphasis on the game. Limited details exist on his precise childhood activities, but the pervasive influence of football in Merseyside likely shaped his initial exposure to organized play and fandom. At the age of nine, in 2010, Connell joined the Bolton Wanderers academy, marking his entry into structured youth football development.[13]Heritage and eligibility
Luca Connell was born on 20 April 2001 in Liverpool, England, which grants him eligibility to represent the England national teams through birth and residency.[1] He holds dual citizenship with Ireland and England, further affirming his qualification for both nations.[1] Connell's Irish heritage stems from his maternal grandparents, both of whom hail from Dublin, providing him with eligibility for the Republic of Ireland national teams via familial descent.[10] In 2019, he expressed a strong commitment to representing Ireland, stating that his grandmother in Liverpool would be deeply upset if he switched allegiances to England, underscoring his personal connection to his Irish roots.[10] He opted to play for Ireland at youth international levels, including up to the under-21 team, rather than pursuing opportunities with England despite reported interest from their youth setups.[14] As of November 2025, Connell has not earned any senior international caps for either the Republic of Ireland or England.[1]Club career
Bolton Wanderers
Luca Connell joined Bolton Wanderers' academy at the age of nine in 2010, beginning his development in the club's youth setup.[15][13] He progressed through the age groups, joining the under-18s as a first-year scholar for the 2017–18 season and later being promoted to the under-23s, where he established himself as a promising defensive midfielder known for his versatility and goal-scoring ability in youth matches, including nine goals in 25 appearances for the under-18s that year.[16] Key milestones included becoming the first player born in the 2000s to feature in a competitive first-team game for Bolton and being named in the League Football Education's 'The 11' for February 2019 in recognition of his early senior contributions.[17][18] Connell made his professional debut on 5 January 2019, coming on as a late substitute in a 5–2 FA Cup third-round victory over Walsall.[17] He went on to make 12 appearances across all competitions during the 2018–19 season, primarily in the Championship and FA Cup, without scoring but providing an assist in the FA Cup fourth round against Bristol City.[19][20] Amid Bolton's financial turmoil and entry into administration, Connell's contract expired in June 2019, leading to his departure to Celtic for a reported fee of £350,000, which exceeded the standard development compensation Bolton would have received.[21][22]Celtic
On 29 June 2019, Celtic signed Luca Connell from Bolton Wanderers for a reported fee of £350,000, with the 18-year-old agreeing to a four-year contract.[23][21] Despite high expectations as a promising Republic of Ireland youth international, Connell did not make any first-team appearances for Celtic over the next three seasons, remaining on the fringes of the senior squad from 2019 to 2022.[24] To gain playing experience, Connell joined Queen's Park on loan for the final two months of the 2020–21 season, making 11 appearances and scoring 3 goals in Scottish League Two as the club secured automatic promotion as champions.[25][26] He returned to Queen's Park on a season-long loan in September 2021, where he featured in 27 League One matches and netted 7 goals during the 2021–22 campaign, playing a key role in the team's fourth-place finish and subsequent promotion to the Scottish Championship via the play-offs.[5][26][27] During these loans, Connell honed his skills as a left-footed defensive midfielder, demonstrating composure in possession and defensive tenacity in lower-tier Scottish football.[1] His contract with Celtic expired at the end of the 2021–22 season, and on 3 June 2022, the club opted not to extend it, leading to his release as a free agent.[28] Connell subsequently signed with Barnsley in the English League One.[6]Barnsley
Connell signed for Barnsley on a permanent transfer on 17 June 2022, joining the club on a free from Celtic and agreeing to a three-year contract.[6] The move allowed him to secure regular first-team football in EFL League One, where he quickly integrated into the squad as a defensive midfielder.[29] During his initial seasons from 2022 to 2024, Connell built a prominent role in Barnsley's midfield, featuring in over 70 League One matches and contributing four goals alongside numerous assists that supported the team's defensive structure and transitional play. His performances earned him the club's Young Player of the Season award in 2022–23, highlighting his growing influence on the pitch through solid tackling and precise passing.[30] In July 2023, Connell extended his contract with Barnsley for four years, committing his future to the club until at least the end of the 2026–27 season, with an option for an additional year.[31] This deal underscored his importance to the team, leading to his appointment as club captain on 8 August 2024, a role that was reaffirmed for the 2025–26 season on 30 July 2025.[32][33] By November 2025, in the ongoing 2025–26 League One campaign, Connell had made 15 appearances and scored 1 goal, while having accumulated 139 appearances and 6 goals across all competitions for Barnsley as of November 2025.[34] His contributions emphasized defensive solidity, with strong interception rates and leadership in organizing the midfield, helping Barnsley maintain competitive stability in the league.[35]International career
Youth international career
Connell began his international career with the Republic of Ireland youth teams, eligible through his Irish grandparents on his mother's side.[17][10] At the under-17 level, Connell earned four caps between 2017 and 2018, including two appearances in the 2018 UEFA European Under-17 Championship qualifiers and two in the finals tournament, where Ireland reached the quarter-finals before a penalty shootout exit against the Netherlands.[36][37][38] He progressed to the under-18 team in 2018–2019, accumulating three caps in friendly and development matches, such as a November 2018 international.[36] For the under-19 side, Connell featured in three matches during the 2019 UEFA European Under-19 Championship qualifiers in March, contributing to Ireland's efforts in the tournament.[36][35] Connell's youth international journey culminated at the under-21 level, where he secured three caps in 2021 under manager Jim Crawford. His debut came on 26 March 2021, starting and playing the full 90 minutes in a 2–1 friendly victory over Wales in Wrexham. He made a substitute appearance of 15 minutes against Switzerland on 30 May (a 0–2 loss) and started, playing 87 minutes, in the 2–1 win over Australia's Olympic team on 2 June in Marbella. He was also included in the squad for the 2022 UEFA European Under-21 Championship play-offs against Israel but did not feature.[7][39]Senior international career
As of November 2025, Luca Connell has not earned any senior international caps for either the Republic of Ireland or England.[1][40] Born in Liverpool, Connell holds dual eligibility through his English birth and Irish grandparents, allowing him to represent either nation at the senior level, as he has yet to play a competitive senior match for any country.[22][41] Connell's only involvement with a senior international squad came in May 2019, when then-Republic of Ireland manager Mick McCarthy included the 18-year-old in a week-long training camp in Portugal ahead of UEFA Euro 2020 qualifiers; however, he did not feature in any matches during the camp.[42][43] McCarthy praised Connell's potential at the time, noting his impressive youth performances as a key factor in the surprise inclusion.[44] This experience built on his earlier youth international career with Ireland, serving as an initial bridge to senior consideration.[44] Despite his consistent form as a key midfielder for Barnsley in EFL League One, Connell has not received further senior call-ups from either association in the years since.[1] Factors such as the demands of a packed club schedule in the third tier of English football and competition for midfield positions in the international setups have likely contributed to his non-selection. In a 2023 interview, Connell expressed that earning a senior cap for Ireland remains a major career ambition, underscoring his ongoing aspiration despite the absence of opportunities.[8]Career statistics and achievements
Professional statistics
Luca Connell's professional statistics encompass senior appearances across the English Championship, Scottish lower divisions, and EFL League One, with a focus on his contributions in midfield. As of November 15, 2025, he has accumulated 196 senior appearances, 16 goals, and 32 assists in total.[45] During his loan spells from Celtic to Queen's Park, Connell scored 10 goals in 42 appearances across the 2020–21 and 2021–22 seasons, including a standout 7 goals in 27 league matches during the 2021–22 Scottish League One campaign.[46][47] In the ongoing 2025–26 season with Barnsley, he has recorded 1 goal and 2 assists in 13 League One appearances, including an assist in the FA Cup first-round win over York City on November 1, 2025, alongside contributions in cup competitions.[40][35][48][49] The table below breaks down his career statistics by club and competition (assists available where tracked; youth matches excluded).[45][46]| Club | Competition | Appearances | Goals | Assists |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bolton Wanderers | Championship | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| Bolton Wanderers | FA Cup | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| Bolton Wanderers | Total | 12 | 0 | 1 |
| Celtic (loan to Queen's Park) | Scottish League One / League Two | 37 | 10 | 10 |
| Celtic (loan to Queen's Park) | Scottish Cup / Challenge Cup / Playoffs | 5 | 0 | 1 |
| Celtic (loan to Queen's Park) | Total | 42 | 10 | 11 |
| Barnsley | League One | 117 | 6 | 15 |
| Barnsley | FA Cup | 10 | 0 | 3 |
| Barnsley | EFL Cup | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| Barnsley | League One Playoffs | 5 | 0 | 1 |
| Barnsley | EFL Trophy | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Barnsley | Total | 142 | 6 | 19 |
| Career Total | 196 | 16 | 32 |