Shamrock Rovers have signed striker Jonathan Afolabi from Belgian side KV Kortrijk on a multiyear deal.

What happened?

The 26-year-old Dubliner moved to Belgium from Bohemians in January 2024 after finishing as joint top scorer in the Premier Division with Shelbourne’s Jack Moylan on 15 goals in 2023.

Shamrock Rovers manager Stephen Bradley admitted Afolabi had been a target for some time.

Why it matters for Shamrock Rovers

Bradley said: “We’re delighted to get this done because Jonathan had options here and also away in Belgium and England. So we’re delighted he sees the next step of his career at this club.”

Afolabi is a really good age, a really good profile for Shamrock Rovers, and is someone Bradley feels will complement the team.

What comes next?

Rovers open their Champions League campaign away to Floriana of Malta on Tuesday night, and Bradley has not ruled out Afolabi making his debut in the game, with Shamrock Rovers currently 1st in Premier Division, 66 pts, 19W-9D-8L from 36 games, and 3 points clear of Derry City.

Afolabi had an injury this year but has worked hard to come back from it and has been training, and he won’t be 90 minutes ready yet. Shamrock Rovers have scored 56 goals and conceded 33 this season, with a recent form of LWLLL, and lost the last 2 games, including a 0-1 loss to Derry City on 2026-01-31.

Afolabi is looking forward to returning to Rovers, having played two years of schoolboy football with the club. He said: “It’s a great feeling. I played here for a few years when I was younger, so it’s nice to be back at Rovers, obviously a good few years later.” With Afolabi on board, Shamrock Rovers are ready to take on the Champions League, and their fans will be eager to see how the new signing performs, as the team aims to build on their current lead at the top of the Premier Division.