Cambridge United have confirmed that former Norwich City midfielder Wes Hoolahan has joined the club on a one-year deal.
The announcement comes following the departure of George Maris, who has joined League Two rivals Mansfield Town.
Cambridge United Sign Wes Hoolahan
One In, One Out
The U’s have acted swiftly in confirming a replacement for Maris. Confirmation of Hoolahan’s arrival came just 40 minutes after the announcement of the former’s departure.
24-year-old Maris had been a virtual mainstay in the Cambridge line-up after joining in the 2016/17 season.
However, he has failed to reach the heights of his form during the 2017/18 season, where he scored 10 goals and registered five assists. The 2018/19 campaign saw him score five times, while he scored just one last season.
As a result, he has decided to move on to a new challenge, joining Mansfield on a two-year deal.
Vital Experience in Midfield
Former Canaries midfielder Hoolahan will provide vital experience at the heart of the U’s midfield.
The 38-year-old did train with the club last summer, with the view of joining permanently.
However, he decided that it was not the right time, and he instead joined the Australian side Newcastle Jets.
After just one season with the A-League club, the Irishman is returning to English football. He will be dropping down two divisions, having last featured for West Bromwich Albion.
Speaking about joining the club, he said: “It’s a great move to a really good Club and I’m delighted to sign for Cambridge United.
“I was obviously on trial here for four weeks last year and I enjoyed my time. I knew what the training ground was like, what the boys are all about and that all factored into my decision to sign.
“I’m grateful for the opportunity and hopefully I can reward the likes of Ben Strang and Mark Bonner who have kept this option open for me, during the forthcoming season. I’ve met with Mark last week and he’s said some great things, he’s passionate about the game and going forward it’s clear he wants the Club to succeed. I’ll enjoy working with him.
“I’m looking forward to the number of games you have to play in League Two, there’s a good amount of Saturday/Tuesday turnarounds, it will be a challenge but I really want to play as many games as I can. I want to play my role in pushing Cambridge United up the League.”
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