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- General - Friday August 14th, 2026 @ 15:35 Luke Fitzsimons Joins Torino St Patrick's Athletic can confirm the transfer of Academy player Luke Fitzsimons to Torino. The 16-year-old moves to Italy after almost three years in the Saints Academy. The Mulligar native joined the club in 2023 from his local side Real Football ahead of the 2024 LOI U14 season and played a key role in helping to club to a third LOI U15 League title in a row last season (2025). The left footed centre-back was named St Patrick's Athletic U15 Club Player of the Year last year. Fitzsimons made his Republic of Ireland debut for the U16s against Netherlands in a 3-2 victory earlier this season and also featured for our U20s. Luke made his only appearance for our First Team in a friendly against Longford Town over the summer. A delighted Fitzsimons spoke to our website shortly after arriving in Italy: "Being at Pat's has been a really important part of my football journey over the last few years and I've had some great experiences. Since the day I joined, everybody made me feel welcome and helped me grow as a player and person. I made great friends and memories at the club that I will never forget, including winning the U15 League last season which was a great achievement for all of us. Making my Ireland debut was a big ambition of mine and I was delighted to do that alongside some of the Pat's team-mates too. The positive environment and support from the coaches at Pat's and my teammates played a big part in my development. They pushed me every in training session and game and the overall environment, with gym and video and my individual learning plan gave me the confidence to progress and get better. I'll always be grateful for what everyone at the club has done for me. I'm proud and happy to have signed for Torino. It's a huge opportunity for me and my family and it will be a big challenge but it's one I'm looking forward to and one I'll give my best to. I wouldn't be here without Pat's and I can't wait for the next chapter." St Patrick's Athletic Head of Academy Ian Bermingham said: "We are delighted for Luke and his family as he begins an exciting new chapter with Torino. Luke's development over the past 18 months has been outstanding to watch, and it has been a privilege to work closely with him throughout his journey. His move is testament to the hard work, dedication, and commitment of himself, his family and everyone involved in our Academy. Our coaches have played a significant role in his development, and I know they are all incredibly proud of him. We look forward to following Luke's progress and are excited to see how he continues to develop at his new club. We wish him every success as he continues on to the next stage of his career." Photo credit: Sportsfile