Fast forward to Melia's final home game for St. Patrick's Athletic before his big move to North London and Melia is a name very much on Tottenham fans' radar. Therefore, you can imagine Melia's 13th goal of the season on his final appearance at Richmond Park would have excited supporters who don't have to wait much longer to see him in lily-white.
Melia's time in Ireland is almost up and the spotlight and scrutiny of the Premier League awaits, but what kind of player are Tottenham signing? Flashscore went to Richmond Park to find out...
What is Melia all about?
Some quick research on social media can show you clips of Mason Melia's impressive goal catalogue. The teenager uses his quick feet and mind to give himself space before finding incredible backlift and pinpoint accuracy. It quickly becomes apparent that Tottenham have signed an extremely talented player.
However, we decided to go one better at Flashscore and see what Melia is all about in the flesh. And what better game to do it than his last dance at St Patrick's home, Richmond Park?
It hasn't been the season the Pats were hoping for, and they have long since been out of the title race. However, there was importance heading into Friday night's game against Waterford in their hunt for European football next season.
It was also a big occasion for the hosts as they said goodbye to the most talented player the Dublin side has ever seen. It was one last chance to watch Melia at Richmond Park before his Premier League adventure begins in January.
Melia will go back to being the unknown and unproven talent when he moves to North London, but in Inchicore, he has become a fan favourite and leaves with an almost celebrity status.
The Irishman might be going on to bigger and better things in one of the best leagues in the world. However, it was St. Patrick's who gave him regular senior football when he was 17, and it is for that reason he will always be one of their own.
Melia is St. Patrick's top scorer this season but was on a mini goal drought heading into Friday night's game having failed to score in his last four matches since bagging a brace against Cork in September. He looked hungry for a goal from the first whistle, but often cut a frustrated figure as his teammates failed to provide any quality service for the six-foot-one striker.
Melia's movement was always purposeful; he rarely dropped deep and spent large periods out of the game, but when he made a forward run, it was always a smart one, and he could have found himself through on goal on at least two occasions if the final pass had been better. You could imagine Melia's future teammates, such as Xavi Simons and Mohammed Kudus, would have better luck finding his darting runs.
Melia started growing into the game and finding some half-chances as the first half progressed, and he came close to opening the scoring in the 26th minute. As the ball fell to him inside the box, he used his typically quick feet to earn a yard of space before forcing Stephen McMullan into a fingertip save at his near post. A little glimpse into what he is all about.
The 18-year-old wouldn't have to wait much longer for his goal after one of his darting runs was found brilliantly by Jason McClelland. The low-driven cross deserved someone to get on the end of it, and Melia did just that, using a clever feint shot to round the keeper before passing the ball into an empty net. It was a classy goal from start to finish and the dream send-off for a superstar in the making.
Melia would have a quieter second half as St. Patrick's ended up drawing the game 1-1, but every time the teenager was on or close to the ball, there was a sense of anticipation in the crowd. After all, Pats fans know better than anyone what this kid is capable of.
In his first interview with Tottenham's media team in February, Melia said Harry Kane and Sergio Aguero were his biggest inspirations. You could see the influence the two legendary strikers have had on his game. The way Melia uses his body to hold the ball up and win fouls was reminiscent of Kane, and his sharp thinking inside the box gave Aguero vibes.
If he reaches even close to the level of either, Melia will have a career to remember.
Melia leaves St. Patrick's a fan favourite
As the full-time whistle blew, Melia's impact on St. Patrick's fanbase couldn't be more evident. Young supporters raced onto the pitch (despite repeated announcements discouraging them) to ask for Melia's autograph one final time, resulting in a huddle of people surrounding the teenage sensation.
Melia leaves St. Patrick's as the youngest goal scorer in League of Ireland history, the club's top goal scorer this season and the League of Ireland's record transfer.
Therefore, despite only turning 18 in September, Mason Melia's name won't be forgotten soon at Richmond Park.
Time will tell if he will also become a fan favourite at Tottenham, but having experienced senior football since he was 15, expect Melia to be ready for the mental and physical challenge ahead as he embarks on a life-changing move to North London.