Sam Curtis: The 18 y/o Irish right-back poised for a move to England – scout report

The League of Ireland Premier Division has seen some impressive young players break through and make a name for themselves recently. One such rising star is Sam Curtis, an 18-year-old right-back currently making waves at St Patrick’s Athletic. 

Curtiss performances for St Pats Athletic have not gone unnoticed. His agility, defensive acumen, and adept ball progression have seen him become one of the breakout stars of 2023. He recently became the PFAI Young Player of the Year for the season just gone, making him the youngest player ever to win the award.

With a promising career trajectory and impressive performances throughout the 2023 season, Curtis has become the subject of speculation, with strong indications linking him to a potential move to England with clubs in both the EFL Championship and Premier League keen admirers of the Irish youngster.

Hailing from Navan, Sam Curtis has rapidly evolved into a key player for the St. Pat’s team. The young defender spent some time in the youth set-up at Shamrock Rovers before moving to the Inchicore-based club in 2021. European clubs have also kept a keen eye on Curtis as the young full-back has also spent time training with the likes of Serie A giants Roma and Bayer Leverkusen.

Recent reports have intensified speculation regarding Curtiss future, with strong links suggesting Sheffield United and Hull City are frontrunners in the battle for the 18-year-old’s signature. Both clubs have been keeping tabs on him for a while as they consider him an exhilarating prospect for the future and could offer him a clear path to the first team.

In this tactical analysis and scout report, we will delve into the intricacies of Sam Curtiss game. We will analyse his impactful performances at St Pats Athletic and asses how he complimented their tactics so well, in addition to looking at what he could add to Sheffield United or Hull City. 

Seasonal stats:

The pizza charts above allow us to assess how well Sam Curtis performed over the 2023 campaign. Pizza Chart 1 compares the St. Pat’s player to fellow right-backs in the League of Ireland Premier Division. We can see that Curtis is a pretty well-rounded player. What immediately stands out is how well he performs in ‘dribbles per 90’; this indicates that he is a player who likes to run with the ball at his feet and carry his team forward.

Furthermore, keeping our attention with Pizza Chart 1, we can also see that Curtis stands out in the number of aerial duels he engages in compared to his peers. Additionally, we can see that he ranks above the 65th percentile for all defensive metrics, indicating he is a solid defender capable of executing his tasks well.