Fulham are expected to complete the signing Republic of Ireland youth international James Furlong from Shamrock Rovers in the coming days.

The 17 year-old left back has agreed a three-year contract and personal terms with the Championship club with a nominal compensation fee payable to Shamrock and St. Joseph’s Boys. Fulham are understood to have beaten off stiff competition from a number of English sides for Furlong, who made his senior debut against Dundalk in April. Both Brighton and Hove Albion and Stoke City had been heavily linked with the teenager in the spring.

Furlong will follow in the footsteps of Shamrock team-mate Sean Kavanagh, who moved to London having signed from Belvedere in 2011, and went to make 27 senior appearances for the Whites. A regular in the Republic of Ireland youth set-up, who played every minute of Ireland’s three games as they hosted the European Under 17 Championships in May, Furlong will fill a gap at left back in his new club’s academy set-up.