England U21 boss Lee Carsley has confirmed that Nigeria-eligible youngster Michael Olise would have been called up to the Young Lions squad for their European Championship qualifiers this month but the Crystal Palace winger chose to stick with France.
The 2021 Super Eagles invitee could become provisionally cap-tied to the French Football Federation on March 24 when Les Bleuets battle Faroe Islands in an U21 EURO qualifier.
Olise was a target for the Nigeria Football Federation, with former manager Gernot Rohr naming him in an expanded squad for last year's 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers with Benin and Lesotho.
The plan was for the Nigerian Federation to tie up the winger's international future ahead of France, England and Algeria but he didn't show up in camp.
There were no barriers to Olise playing for England or Nigeria straightaway as his two caps for France U18s were in non-binding games against Qatar and Guatemala during the 2019 Toulon Tournament.
In quotes relayed by Daily Mail, Carsley stated : "You cannot force anyone and I try to stay away from capping someone just to stop them doing something else. It is not something I would want to do.
'We have a responsibility to not just cap a player and then restrict their future. We always want to provide a real connection so they enjoy representing England.
'We made Crystal Palace and the player aware that we were interested and he has chosen to go to France and that is his prerogative."
'We have a responsibility to not just cap a player and then restrict their future. We always want to provide a real connection so they enjoy representing England.
'We made Crystal Palace and the player aware that we were interested and he has chosen to go to France and that is his prerogative."
Olise is at the center of a tug-of-war for his services on the back of the outstanding season he's having at Palace, with a goal involvement of eleven in 25 matches.
Ifeanyi Emmanuel
Photo Credit : cpfc.co.uk
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