Shels complete signing of Henry-Francis from Arsenal

Shelbourne have signed 21-year-old midfielder Jack Henry-Francis from Arsenal on a multi-year deal.

The former Republic of Ireland underage international began his youth career at Fulham before joining the Gunners academy at the age of 13.

He progressed through the ranks in north London and was a regular presence in senior training sessions under Mikel Arteta. He was on the bench for both legs of the Champions League semi-final against PSG in May.

Henry-Francis joined Sligo Rovers on loan for the second half of the 2024 SSE Airtricity Men's Premier Division season. He made 11 appearances in the Premier Division.

Eligible to represent Ireland through his family roots in Mayo and Leitrim, Henry-Francis has been capped for Ireland at Under-19 level on six occasions and made his Under-21 debut against Kuwait in 2023.

"Delighted to sign for Shelbourne and can’t wait to get started here," he said.

"After speaking to Joey (O'Brien) and everyone at the club it felt like the place for me to further my career. I’m looking forward to some important matches coming up and excited to see the fans."

Shels boss O’Brien aired his satisfaction at bringing Henry-Francis, adding: "Jack’s a really talented midfielder with a brilliant foundation, coming through at Arsenal and spending time around their first team has given him a great grounding in the game.

"His loan at Sligo Rovers gave him real exposure to senior football in this league, and he impressed in every game. We’re thrilled he’s chosen to join us at a really exciting time for the club. We believe this is the perfect environment for him to keep developing, and we’re confident he can grow into a top-class midfielder here."

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