THE nephew of Colchester United promotion winner Eamonn Collins has become the most expensive Irish player ever.

Nathan Collins has set a new record after joining Premier League side Wolves from Burnley in a £20.5 million transfer.

The fee for the 21-year-old defender smashes the previous record set in 2008, when Robbie Keane moved to Liverpool from Spurs for £19 million.

Nathan, who made 19 Premier League appearances for Burnley, has signed a five-year deal at Molineux, with the option of a further 12 months.

The centre-back started out at Cherry Orchard in Dublin, which also produced current U's assistant boss Joe Dunne.

 

His uncle Eamonn helped the U's win promotion from the GM Vauxhall Conference back to the Football League, 30 years ago.

He played in 33 of Colchester's 42 Conference matches under Roy McDonough in that memorable 1991-1992 season.

Eamonn joined the U's in May 1989 when Alan Ball, whom he had played under at Southampton and Portsmouth, arrived as Jock Wallace's assistant at Layer Road.

He also won an FA Trophy medal with Colchester in 1992, although he suffered heartache on final day after he was a non-playing substitute against Witton Albion, at Wembley.

Eamonn, now 56, left Colchester in the summer of 1992 and is a successful football agent in Dublin.

 

Wolves technical director Scott Sellars said: “We’ve looked at Nathan for a while and admired him, so we’re delighted to bring him to the football club.

"He’s a very talented young man – he’s only 21, has played international football and had a good season last year with Burnley. We think we’ve signed a player with a lot of potential, as well as being a very good footballer now.

“We’re getting someone who is physically very good, very tall, very athletic, and is very comfortable on the ball – he can step in and take the ball forward, which is what we need. He’s very good in both boxes and has real aerial strength.

“The feedback on his personality is about his leadership qualities, he’s a good character, so he ticks all the boxes.

"He comes across as expected, a humble young man who is appreciative of the opportunity, so we’re all going to be very happy.”