Manchester United's rising star Kobbie Mainoo is poised for a potential inclusion in England's Under-21 squad, as the tug-of-war over his international future intensifies between England and Ghana.
The 18-year-old midfielder, who hails from Stockport, Greater Manchester, has already played for England at the Under-17 and Under-19 levels.
However, his eligibility for Ghana through his parents has sparked interest from the Ghanaian Football Association, who would like him to represent their national team.
The Daily Mail reports that England's Football Association is aware of Ghana's interest and is planning to elevate Mainoo to the Under-21 squad for the upcoming European Championship qualifiers against Azerbaijan and Luxembourg.
This move is not a commitment to England in the long run, but it does indicate that the England setup is closely monitoring Mainoo's development.
England's senior manager Gareth Southgate recently attended United's Premier League win over Aston Villa, and he had earlier praised Mainoo, saying, "I think he's doing brilliantly for a young player. He's had an excellent start for United. I'm not certain he's necessarily going to be a defensive midfielder, as such. He's quite a progressive player, but he's had a fabulous start to his career, and it will be good to monitor him."
However, Randy Abbey, a member of the Ghana FA's Executive Council, expressed Ghana's desire to work with talents like Mainoo: "The Ghana Football Association is interested in monitoring, attracting, and persuading all eligible talents for its various national teams. Kobbie is definitely one of these incredible talents, and the association would love to work with him and many like him at home and abroad."
Under FIFA's international eligibility rules, Mainoo can still switch allegiance, as he has only represented England at junior levels. Southgate has been open to giving opportunities to young players who are excelling at their clubs, as seen with Cole Palmer and Rico Lewis this season. Bukayo Saka and Jude Bellingham also had early senior debuts under Southgate.
With the possibility of late inclusion in England's senior squad for Euro 2024, Mainoo's future on the international stage remains exciting to watch, and his performance could influence the final decision on his national team allegiance.
However, Mainoo would need to make just four competitive senior appearances for England in 2024 to permanently foreclose the option of representing Ghana.