Sheffield United promotion hero seals League One transfer after making contract decision
Mansfield Town have snapped up former Sheffield United striker David McGoldrick on a free transfer.
Former Sheffield United striker David McGoldrick has joined Mansfield Town on a free transfer following the expiration of his contract at Barnsley.
The striker, who spent four years at Bramall Lane, scoring 30 goals in 136 appearances, has joined the League One side on a one-year deal after turning down the offer of a new contract at Oakwell.
McGoldrick enjoyed a successful first and only season with Barnsley, scoring 18 goals in 41 games across the 2025/26 campaign. The South Yorkshire outfit were determined to keep him for another season but he has made the decision to join Mansfield, linking up with former Blades boss Nigel Clough.
On adding McGoldrick to his side’s attacking ranks ahead of the forthcoming season, Clough told Mansfield’s club website: “We’re absolutely thrilled to sign David who arrives at Mansfield Town with an impeccable track record at this level and above. The quality that he possesses in the final third was the main reason we pursued him.
“Our assessment at the end of the season was that we needed a little difference in the final third. With the permanent signing of Tyler Roberts, and now David McGoldrick, to add to Rhys (Oates) and Will (Evans), it gives us good options in attack.
“Our sincere thanks to the club’s owners, Mr & Mrs Radford, who have supported and sanctioned the signing, as well as to Stephen Quinn [part of the club’s backroom staff] who was instrumental in David joining us having played with him at Republic of Ireland.”
With the deal signed and sealed, Mansfield become McGoldrick’s 12th club of his senior career. Despite being 38, the former Blades star has scored 48 goals since the start of the 2023/24 season, plundering 30 goals in two seasons for Notts County before moving to Barnsley last summer.
The striker, who briefly had a loan spell at Sheffield Wednesday during the 2011/12 campaign, ranks as one of the best signings United have made on a free transfer in recent years. Arriving at Bramall Lane in the summer of 2018, he scored 15 goals in his first season in S2, helping to fire them to promotion to the Premier League.
He left at the end of the 2021/22 season after making just 21 appearances across all competitions, scoring two goals.