Touchline Sport
Shamrock Rovers are reportedly under FAI investigation over agency agreements involving Michael and Alex Noonan, including a reported 10% deduction for an agent from any future Michael Noonan transfer.
Third parties have been banned from holding rights to future transfer compensation since 2015 and, with Rovers having agreed a reported €1.8 million fee with Hoffenheim for Noonan earlier this year, there’s more at stake than grim contractual small print.
The Times reported on Sunday that FIFA has referred the matter back to the Football Association of Ireland, which is now investigating the agreements. No breach has been established.
The agreement involving Michael was put in place after he joined Rovers from St Patrick’s Athletic in January 2025. The Irish Times reported that agent David Moss would receive a percentage of any future fee once Noonan turned 18, while The42 later reported that a February 2025 board meeting was told of a 10% deduction payable to the agent.
Article 18ter of FIFA’s regulations prevents clubs or players from giving a third party rights to future transfer compensation. In normal football language, an outside party can’t own a slice of what a player might eventually be sold for.
Rovers said their chair and board became aware of the detailed contents of two agency agreements in August 2025, sought independent legal advice and contacted FIFA themselves. When the story first surfaced in February, the club was keen to make one distinction clear:
“We would like to clarify that the club is not the subject of investigation from any of the FA, FAI or FIFA.”
Six months later, The Times reports that FIFA has sent the matter back to the FAI and an investigation is under way.
John Martin, Rovers’ chief executive when the agreements were negotiated and now the FAI’s Director of Football, has said his decisions at Tallaght were made in what he believed were the club’s best interests. FAI chief executive David Courell backed him when the issue first emerged.
“The FAI are satisfied that John operated in good faith.”
Moss has maintained that he complied with all legal and regulatory requirements.
Alex Noonan, who isn’t related to Michael, is also involved. The goalkeeper joined Rovers aged 12 and moved to Ipswich Town on 2 September on an initial loan with an obligation to buy. The Times reported the deal at £400,000.
Michael arrived by a different route, joining from St Pat’s before Rovers later agreed that reported €1.8 million move to Hoffenheim. The transfer fell through, but €1.8 million has a funny way of making everyone read the contract twice.
Rovers are increasingly operating in that market. Ireland’s record 22-time league champions have built genuine value through their academy, with Victor Ozhianvuna’s agreed move to Arsenal worth a reported €2 million plus add-ons.
When young League of Ireland players are generating those sorts of fees, economic rights and agent agreements stop being dull admin fairly quickly.
The FAI investigation will now determine whether the agreements complied with FIFA regulations and whether any action follows. There has been no finding of wrongdoing against Shamrock Rovers, John Martin or David Moss.
If this one landed, the newsletter’s where the rest of it lives — two or three pieces a week, no noise.
Subscribe for free