Callum Hudson-Odoi is weighing up international interest from Ghana with the Black Stars hoping to persuade the Chelsea winger and Tariq Lamptey to switch allegiance from England ahead of the World Cup.
Hudson-Odoi is said to be ‘considering’ the switch ahead of the World Cup in November.
The 21-year-old has three senior caps for England with the latest of those coming in the European Championship qualifier in Kosovo in November 2019.
In August last year, Hudson-Odoi turned down the opportunity to play for England’s under-21 side for internationals against Romania and Kosovo.
And he risked damaging his relationship with the Three Lions further when he turned down a call-up by Gareth Southgate for the matches against Albania and San Marino last November.
Under FIFA rules, players are allowed switch allegiances providing they had played no more than three competitive international games before the age of 21.
This means Hudson-Odoi would be eligible for the changeover just in time to head to Qatar with the World Cup taking place between November 21 and December 18.
And, according to Goal, Ghana are pursuing Hudson-Odoi and Brighton defender Tariq Lamptey, with the Blues youngster understood to be considering the move.
Ghana booked their spot in Qatar with a win in their World Cup playoff with Nigeria on away goals on Tuesday.
With the World Cup on the horizon, the Black Stars could look to build up their squad and Ghana FA communications director Henry Asante Twum revealed the side will pursue the Premier League pair if regulations permit it.
‘If it is that we wake up tomorrow and the new coach of the Black Stars wants Tariq [Lamptey], Hudson-Odoi, whoever is available, we will look at the regulations and the possibility of getting them,’ he told Citi TV. ‘If it is within our reach, we pursue it.
The Black Stars booked their place in Qatar with a World Cup playoff win against Nigeria
‘The new law for nationality switch is that you should be three years from your last game [from the association you want to switch from], so it means that if today, Hudson-Odoi played for England three years ago, we will look at the month [in which] he played, and if it is exactly two years, he has every right to switch nationality.’
Earlier this year, Hudson-Odoi met with Ghana technical advisor and former Newcastle boss Chris Hughton with his parents in Acca to discuss his international future.
He has also travelled to the country twice over the past year and met national president Nana Akufo-Addo, GFA president Kurt Okraku and minister for sports Mustapha Ussif.
Meanwhile, Lamptey has not received a call up to Gareth Southgate’s senior England side but has represented the Three Lions at under-21 level.
