Luca Connell

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Luca Connell
File:Luca Connell.jpeg
Connell playing for Bolton Wanderers U18s in 2017
Personal information
Full name Luca John Connell[1]
Date of birth (2001-04-20) 20 April 2001 (age 25)[2]
Place of birth Liverpool, England
Height 5 ft 11 in (1.81 m)[2]
Position 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 119 (6)
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 as of 22:43, 5 October 2025 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals as of 17:17, 29 September 2022 (UTC)

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.

Early life

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Connell was born in Liverpool, Merseyside.[2]

Club career

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Bolton Wanderers

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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

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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

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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

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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

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As of match played on 11 March 2023[26]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
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
  1. ^ a b Appearance(s) in Scottish Challenge Cup
  2. ^ Appearance(s) in Scottish Championship play-offs
  3. ^ Appearance in the EFL Trophy

Honours

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Queen's Park

Individual

References

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  16. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  17. ^ Luca Connell announced as club captain Barnsley Football Club, Retrieved on 8 August 2024.
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  24. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  25. ^ https://www.fai.ie/ireland/news/report-u21-comeback-to-beat-wales [dead link]
  26. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  27. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
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