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One of the brightest talents in the League of Ireland Women's Premier Division is heading across the Irish sea, with Aoibheann Clancy completing a move from Shelbourne LFC to Watford FC Women. The midfielder joins the Barclays WSL 2 side for an undisclosed fee, subject to international clearance, after establishing herself as one of the standout performers in the Women's Premier Division. Clancy's transfer was among the topics discussed on the latest episode of the RTÉ Soccer Podcast, with Rachel Graham describing the move as another encouraging sign for the progression of Irish players. While the transfer marks a significant moment for both player and club, Graham revealed that it came as little surprise to those at Shels. Clancy’s performances for Shelbourne throughout the season made the move feel like a matter of when, rather than if. The talented midfielder was the only player from the domestic league to earn selection in Carla Ward's most recent Republic of Ireland squads, highlighting the regard in which she is held. Graham believes that Clancy has gone from strength to strength since moving into a more advanced midfield role this season. Speaking on the RTÉ Soccer Podcast, Graham explained that the 22-year-old had always planned to pursue a professional career after completing her studies at UCD, with the transfer coming together quickly in recent weeks. "When Aoibheann signed last year, this was kind of always her plan, that she'd finish her studies and her plan was to go pro, so we kind of knew it was always coming," Graham said. "She's been our absolute standout player, the only League of Ireland player who was in the last couple of squads, so Carla obviously recognises this as well. "We actually moved her into the number 10 this year. She's more traditionally a six or an eight and she had to adapt. It took her a couple of games, but once she found her feet in there, she's just become unplayable." Graham believes that Clancy's development has accelerated over the past 12 months, with her Republic of Ireland call-up providing the spark to take her game to another level. According to Graham, the midfielder's athleticism and professionalism have set her apart throughout the campaign, with her relentless work ethic continuing to drive her improvement. "When she came into us, she was so fit and athletic, and then when she got the call-up, I think it lit a bit of a fire in her belly and her levels just went above and beyond," Graham said. "She's probably the fittest player I've ever seen in the league in terms of football fitness. Her explosiveness, power and all that... she's just a different level completely to us." Graham also credited the former Shelbourne star’s commitment away from the training ground, believing that her willingness to put in extra work has been a major factor in her rapid progression. "She obviously works hard with Shels, but she does her own bit as well, and you can see it in her. Even if you just look at her physically, she's just built for football at the moment. "I think she'll probably reach more levels now going away and training full-time." For Graham, Watford represents more than just the next step in Clancy's club career; it could also be the platform that she needs to establish herself as a regular in Carla Ward's Republic of Ireland squad. While Clancy has already featured in the Ireland manager's extended squads, Graham believes that regular football in a full-time professional environment could help the midfielder cement her place at international level. The RTÉ Soccer analyst explained: "She's kind of on the fringes of the Carla squad at the moment because it was an extended squad, but she never made the matchday squads. "I think if she goes over and she plays a bit at Watford - she's going over there as a six, so that's her natural position - I'd expect to see her feature more for Ireland and I think eventually she'll be starting in there." Graham admitted that Shelbourne are already being impacted by Clancy's absence following her departure, describing her as a player whose energy and presence were difficult to replicate. "We've already felt the loss of her to be honest. She didn't play last week against Treaty and straight away, just the energy that she had on and off the ball for us... she's going to be a huge loss for us. "But after the year she had, with the passing of her Mam, you can only be so happy for her; to see her go and live her dream. I think everyone at the club is actually really happy to see her go." Listen to the RTÉ Soccer podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.