Republic of Ireland goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu has left Southampton and joined another Championship side Bolton Wanderers on a three-year deal. The move away from the Saints marks a fresh start for the 24-year-old Dubliner. Although he made 19 appearances in the Championship last season, Bazunu had fallen down the goalkeeping pecking order at St Mary's since signing for Southampton from Manchester City in 2022. In the second half of the 2025-26 campaign, the former Shamrock Rovers player spent an injury-affected spell on loan at Stoke City. Prior to that, Southampton had also loaned him to Belgian top-flight side Standard Liege. Bazunu, who has 22 Irish senior caps to his name, said the opportunity to garner regular minutes was a key consideration in making the move to Bolton for an undisclosed fee. It was looking like Max O’Leary, who is now playing regularly for West Brom, might overtake Bazunu and become Ireland’s second choice ‘keeper behind Caoimhin Kelleher. Meanwhile, Mark Travers understudies to England’s first-choice goalkeeper Jordan Pickford at Everton. The Kildare native has never played a Premier League game for the Toffees and took up his usual spot on the bench on Saturday away to his old club Bournemouth.
Meanwhile Shea Charles became the most expensive Northern Ireland international when he recently joined EPL club Fulham from Southampton for at £30m million fee. The 22-year-old was born in Manchester and qualifies for the North through his Irish-born mother. He has now won 35 caps for Northern Ireland. Brentford captain Nathan Collins holds the record for the most expensive Republic of Ireland player; the Bees paid Burnley €26.85 million for the defender in July 2023.
Northern Ireland's Shea Charles in action with Germany's Florian Wirtz in Cologne last fall. [Inpho/William Cherry]
