For a few hours on Sunday, social media lit up with rumours and speculation that Seamus Coleman had found himself a new club.

Not on the football pitch but with his local Gaelic football side, Killybegs.

The 37-year-old left Everton at the end of the last season, bringing a 17-year tenure with the Premier League club to a close.

Republic of Ireland captain Coleman has been without a club since, despite featuring in June’s international friendlies, but it was rumoured he would make a sensational return to Gaelic football.

The Donegal Senior Football Championship started on Saturday, and Killybegs travelled to Four Masters in their opener on Sunday afternoon.

While Coleman did not line out for his hometown club – despite the rumours – it is understood he has been training with Killybegs GAC to keep his fitness up as he looks for a new football club.

Growing up in the fishing village of Killybegs in the north west of the island, Coleman played Gaelic football – an amateur sport in Ireland – for his hometown and football for St Catherine’s.

He was an accomplished Gaelic football player and was selected for Donegal at minor level, which is a big honour for underage GAA players.

Coleman ultimately decided to focus on a professional career in football and joined Everton from Sligo Rovers in the League of Ireland in 2009, and went on to make 433 appearances for the Toffees.

He has often spent time off back in Donegal back with St Catherine’s or watching his county and Killybegs, who lost their Donegal SFC opener by 0-15 to 0-10 without Coleman.

In May it was announced that Coleman would leave Everton, who had offered him a coaching contract to remain on Merseyside but he had declined that in a bid to continue his playing career.

Speaking ahead of June’s international friendlies, Coleman said the prospect of adding to his 81 Republic of Ireland caps was key to wanting to continue playing.

“I think if we had got to a World Cup then things would have been different, but I spoke to the manager [Heimir Hallgrimsson] and he said if I can be fit and perform then he would like to have me around,” Coleman said.

“So as soon as the carrot of Ireland was dangled in front of me, that became a massive factor in my decisions.”

Coleman has yet to join a new club despite the start of the new season in England just weeks away, and has returned to his roots to keep his fitness up as he searches for a new side.

He has previously said a return to playing Gaelic football with Killybegs could be on the cards at some point, but it is unlikely while his professional career is still ongoing – even if he is a free agent for now.