MASON MELIA will see a full season at St Patrick’s Athletic next season as Stephen Kenny revealed there are terms and conditions of his record-breaking Tottenham Hotspur transfer.
Melia, 17, will join Spurs next January in deal worth almost €2 million to the Saints.
The Wicklow striker opted for Spurs while there was also interest from Everton, Chelsea, Celtic, Bologna and Hannover 96 amongst others.
He cannot move until next year as Brexit rules mean he cannot join a UK club until he turns 18, and Kenny confirmed there are no stipulations on Melia’s gametime in the meantime.
Kenny revealed: “There’s no criteria or nothing, we just really, we’ll just look forward to utilising him now.
“We always felt we probably would have him for this season but it was an inevitability we would lose him for the start of the next one.”
Melia featured 41 times last season and scored seven goals and is expected to play a big role this season as the Saints look to push for the title.
But Kenny acknowledged he may not start the season as he is a bit behind in pre-season as a back injury kept him out of training until recently.
The Saints gaffer confirmed: “He’s only back training now because he had a back issue, we had to give him a breather, he’s not been in full pre season.
“He’s only come back this week training, we have to take our time with him and make sure he’s right. He missed the end of last season.”
