Michael O'Neill feels Ethan Galbraith needs to find "the right club with the right manager" to get the best out of him.
Galbraith is on the lookout for a new club after his six-year spell at Manchester United came to an end last month.
The 22-year-old is currently on international duty with Northern Ireland, along with several other out-of-contract players, as they prepare for their crucial Euro 2024 qualifiers against Denmark and Kazakhstan.
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O'Neill says there is a lot of interest in Galbraith, who has shown his appetite and quality in camp.
“It’s important we look after the boys and there are a number of players in his situation," he said.
"Ethan is not the only one but he’s probably had a bit more publicity around it.
“But it’s important that he’s seen to be a part of the international squad at this time.
"There is a lot of interest in Ethan, I’ve had a number of phone calls and he’s shown up very well in the camps.
“He’s now in the next phase of his career, when you maybe see the best of a player in his career when he’s not a loan player.
“He’s spent the last two years as a loan player, initially at Doncaster and then Salford. But now I suppose in a way, the safety net of Manchester United is pulled away… I know that from dealing with loan players at Stoke and sometimes you get the best version of a player in that situation.
“I think Ethan knows that, we’ve had a conversation about that.
"What’s important for Ethan is what he chooses to do next but what he’s shown us in the last few weeks is that his appetite for the game is there, he’s a quality player and he’s demonstrated his quality on the ball.
“He just needs to find the right club with the right manager to get the best out of him."
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