Why Tara O’Hanlon needed the move

The 21 year-old Dubliner leaves the WSL champions after an injury-heavy spell in which she never made a first-team appearance, and links up at Molineux with Melisa Filis, according to The42.

O’Hanlon joined City from Peamount United in January 2024 on a three and a half year deal, arriving as one of Irish football’s brightest young talents.

A series of serious hamstring injuries and knee setbacks stalled that progress in Manchester, a familiar frustration for Irish players abroad, as Evan Ferguson can attest.

The attacking left-back spent the first half of the 2025/26 season on loan at WSL 2 side Sunderland, making five appearances, before a January switch to Celtic.

There she played 12 times, scored once and helped the Hoops win the Scottish Women’s Cup as they finished fifth in the league.

She has four senior caps for the Ireland women’s team, having debuted in a friendly against the USA in April 2023.

"Tara O’Hanlon has joined Wolverhampton Wanderers on a permanent transfer," said the Citizens in a statement.

"Everyone at City would like to wish Tara the very best at Wolves and thank her for her efforts while at the Club."

Wolves, newly promoted to WSL 2, described her as a Republic of Ireland left-back joining permanently from the WSL champions.

For O’Hanlon, it is a chance at regular senior minutes, and, with a busy summer window still running for Irish players, she will not be the last to move.