Tottenham Hotspur's Troy Parrott will be promoted to Ireland's senior squad for their crunch Euro 2020 qualifier against Denmark later this month following a series of impressive showings for the Under-21 national side and his club's Under-23 team.
The 17-year-old striker, an unused substitute for Spurs in yesterday's 1-1 draw with Everton at Goodison Park, was part of a provisional panel announced by Ireland manager Mick McCarthy last month but will make the cut when the final squad is announced on Thursday.
Parrott has started just one game for Mauricio Pochettino's team, the embarrassing Carabao Cup defeat to Colchester United in September, but has five goals in three Uefa Youth League games and looks likely to feature in the Premier League soon.
He is likely to feature at some point in Ireland's friendly against New Zealand on Thursday week before McCarthy's team host Denmark the following Monday in a game that they almost certainly must win to stand any chance of qualifying automatically for the summer's tournament.
“I will announce the final squad for the friendly with New Zealand and the European Championship qualifier with Denmark on Thursday but I can confirm that Troy will be on the list,” Ireland manager McCarthy said.
“I spoke to Stephen Kenny [Ireland Under-21 manager] at our monthly managers meeting in Abbotstown on Monday and told him that Troy and Aaron Connolly [the Brighton & Hove Albion striker] will be with the senior squad next week.
“Stephen will also announce his squad this week for the Under-21 games against Armenia and Sweden so it was important to let him know what I am doing ahead of that.
"Troy has been pushing for this step-up for some time now and I look forward to seeing him on the training ground ahead of the New Zealand game. I hope he pushes me to include him in that game.”
