ST PAT’S have targeted Danny Mandroiu in an ambitious swoop.
But the former Ireland under-21 international is expected to stay in England.
Mandroiu is out of contract at Lincoln City with the League One club stating that it was in talks with the attacking midfielder about a new deal.
His availability has alerted St Pat’s boss Stephen Kenny who is a big fan of the Ballymun native.
Mandoriu made his Ireland under-21 debut in Kenny’s first game in charge of that side, against Luxembourg in March 2021.
And he subsequently called him up to the Ireland senior squad in 2021 when he was on the books of Shamrock Rovers, although he was an unused substitute for the games against Hungary and Andorra.
The 25-year-old has not completely ruled out the possibility of returning to the League of Ireland and is expected to attend St Pat’s game against his former club Bohemians on Friday.
That is likely to heighten expectations that he could be a second high-profile signing of the summer for St Pat’s following the capture of keeper Joseph Anang.
But Mandroiu’s preference is to remain in England where he has attracted considerable interest.
Although he is not in advanced negotiations with any other club, he is prepared to bide his time for the right move.
And, whilst St Pat’s can offer the player a bumper deal in League of Ireland terms, he could command a bigger salary by joining a larger club in the third tier of the English League.
Mandroiu was signed by Brighton from St Kevin’s Boys at the age of 15 but was released in December 2018 and joined Bohs.
After two impressive seasons at Dalymount, Rovers paid €20,000 in compensation to bring him to Tallaght.
A clause in his contract allowed him to move to Lincoln for around €30,000 in the summer of 2022. He has scored 15 times in 65 appearances for the Imps.