Mick McCarthy insists he won’t cap Luca Connell just for the sake of fending off England.
Fresh from losing Declan Rice, another international tug of war between Ireland and the Three Lions could be brewing.
But in Portugal last night, McCarthy said: "I'm not going to stick him on the pitch for a minute just to cap him, no, unless he rips it up here and we all go ‘wow!’.
"It's up to him if he wants to play. I'm not getting into that old routine again. If he's interested then we’ll see what he wants to do."
The Bolton midfielder, 18, has been watched this season by Champions League finalists Tottenham.
Southampton, Burnley and Brighton were also keeping tabs on the Liverpool-born teen who qualifies through his Dublin-born grandmother.
But England are believed to have Connell on their radar too, despite playing all his underage football with Ireland.
But while he is here in Portugal for the training camp, McCarthy revealed that Connell is not actually in the squad for Denmark and Gibraltar games.
It has been billed that way when the squad was trimmed down on Monday - but McCarthy will leave the door open nonetheless.
“I know he’s quite fancied by a few people so I wanted to have a look at him,” added the Ireland boss.
“He knows he’s coming in for the week in Portugal – unless he rips it up of course and he’s the top man every day, who knows?”
McCarthy continued: "I’d a good chat with Stephen Kenny the other day about his Under-21 players and Jayson Molumby and Conor Coventry are probably starters.
“Luca, probably not. But if he wants him and he's had a week with me and we’re not going to keep him, then he can go with them and play.
"But I don't think that he was in that squad, I think he has got a holiday booked actually.”
McCarthy has yet to see Connell play live but is encouraged by the reports from his 15-appearance season despite Bolton’s relegation from the Championship.
“He’s left footed, he can handle the ball. The reports of him have been very good and technically he’s very, very good."
Meanwhile, Harry Arter’s absence from the Ireland squad for this camp and the two crunch games is injury related. The midfielder has a calf problem.
If you haven't already, be sure to like our Irish Mirror Sport and Irish Mirror GAA pages on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.
