Mallow football prospect Destiny Okharedia is continuing his remarkable rise after returning to Portuguese giants Benfica for a further trial.
The Cork City Academy winger is currently spending time with Benfica alongside fellow Republic of Ireland Under-16 international Ronan Keating, with the Portuguese club having previously invited both players for an initial trial.
Benfica were sufficiently impressed to bring the pair back for a longer spell, marking another significant development in the young Mallow player’s rapidly growing career.
The latest Benfica opportunity comes fresh from international duty, with Okharedia recently starring for the Republic of Ireland Under-16 side in their international fixtures against Cymru.
The young Mallow prospect has continued to impress at international level as his reputation grows both at home and abroad, and the latest trial represents another major opportunity in what has been a remarkable period of development.
It comes shortly after another impressive experience in Spain, where Okharedia spent time on trial with Real Sociedad. During his time with the Spanish club, he trained with their Under-15 squad and featured in a 2010 age-group tournament.
The latest Benfica trial is another indication of the growing reputation of the young Cork City Academy player, who continues to attract attention following a series of impressive performances at club and international level.
A student at the Patrician Academy in Mallow and a former Mallow United AFC player, Okharedia has already represented the Republic of Ireland at underage level and previously caught the eye with a superb individual goal against the Netherlands.
Now, following his recent spell with Real Sociedad, his performances for Ireland Under-16s against Cymru and his return to Benfica, the opportunities continue to grow for one of Mallow’s most exciting young football prospects.
