BBC Sport NI looks at Republic of Ireland centre-back's John Egan's rise back to the Premier League with Hull City and the international set-up under Heimir Hallgrimsson.
BBC Sport NI looks at Republic of Ireland centre-back's John Egan's rise back to the Premier League with Hull City and the international set-up under Heimir Hallgrimsson.
Egan made 208 appearances for Sheffield United during his six seasons with the club, winning promotion to the Premier League with them in 2019 and 2023.
He was named club captain in the summer of 2023, but would play his last game for the Blades in September that same year as an Achilles injury curtailed his Premier League return and kept him out for close to 10 months.
The defender's contract expired the following summer and the club decided not to renew the deal, leaving Egan hurt and in the lurch as he tried to battle back from that serious injury and continue his career.
He went on trial to Burnley and West Ham, with then Clarets boss Scott Parker seeing enough from the experienced centre-back to offer him a one-year deal with the club seeking a quick return to the top flight after relegation the previous season.
With Burnley then getting off to a flying start in the Championship, Egan, who was working back to full fitness, was restricted to just seven appearances and decided to swap a promotion push at Turf Moor for a relegation battle with Hull just five months later.
He signed an 18-month deal and was thrown straight in, completing his first 90 minutes in over a year, coincidentally against Burnley in a 2-0 loss in February.
The Kerry native would go on to make 10 more appearances as Hull stayed up on goal difference on the final day.
Manager Sergej Jakirovic then came in and transformed the club the following campaign, with a fully-fit Egan a key player in their success.
He played 48 times as Hull sneaked into the play-offs and then beat Middlesborough in the final to return to the Premier League for the first time since 2017.
Averytin News Soccer update.