Dundalk FC are delighted to announce the arrival of ex-Sheffield United youngster Leo Gaxha, who spent the second half of last season at Athlone Town.
Gaxha becomes manager Ciarán Kilduff’s third signing from his former club Athlone this off-season, following both goalkeeper Enda Minogue and striker Dean Ebbe to Oriel Park.
The 22-year-old attacker, a native of Tralee, spent almost five years at Sheffield United before returning home to Kerry in 2023, where his performances and return of seven league goals earned him a move to newly-promoted Galway United ahead of last season.
In search of more gametime having featured just nine times from the bench for the Tribesmen in the Premier Division, Gaxha – a former underage international for both Ireland and Albania – switched to Athlone in the summer and netted four goals in 15 First Division appearances.
Now, he becomes the ninth confirmed signing at Oriel Park ahead of Dundalk’s 2025 promotion push, joining Minogue, Ebbe, Conor O’Keeffe, Seán Keogh, Aodh Dervin, Harry Groome, Daryl Horgan and Gbemi Arubi in Kilduff’s squad.
“I feel great signing here, it’s a big club with great ambitions,” Gaxha told DFCTV. “I can’t wait for the season to get going.
“The gaffer rang me a couple of weeks ago. As soon as he rang me, I was very interested. The size of the club, the fan base and the history of the club, it was something that I couldn’t turn down.
“I’m a player that thrives off motivation and a big challenge. We’re all looking forward to it – us as players, there’s only one aim here and that’s to go straight up and win the league. I can’t wait.”
Asked if he had a point to prove, Gaxha added: “Of course I do. I think I have a big point to prove. People can say I have ability but I think I need to show a bit more and really thrive this season.”
Player Profile
Gaxha, who was born 27 July 2002 in Ireland to Albanian parents, grew up in Kerry and played football for St Brendan’s Park and Tralee Dynamos at schoolboy level before joining Kerry Under-15s. In the Kingdom, he was also a talented Gaelic corner forward for his school Mercy Mounthawk.
In May 2018, Gaxha signed a three-year contract with Sheffield United, turning professional in May 2020, with the deal further extended the following November. While with the Blades, he lined out in the FA Youth Cup and later for their Under-23 team.
In February 2023, it was announced that Gaxha – who has represented Ireland at Under-16 and Under-17 level and Albania at Under-18 level – had returned home to sign for Kerry ahead of their first senior season in the League of Ireland.
Later that month, Gaxha scored Kerry’s very first goal in the First Division, in a 3-1 loss at Bray Wanderers, and went on to net a total of seven, with the forward missing only one of their 38 outings in League and FAI Cup competition. During the season, he took over the club captaincy.
His performances saw him named the Kerry FC Sportswriters Player of the Year, and last December it was announced that Gaxha had made the move to John Caulfield’s Galway, who were preparing for life back in the top flight.
However, at Eamonn Deacy Park, Gaxha did not start a game, coming off the bench nine times, totalling just over 80 minutes of football. That led to his departure in July as he switched to Athlone, bagging four goals on their way to the playoffs, where they lost out to Bray in the First Division final last month.
Video by Chris Clarke, photos by Gerry Scully.
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