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Topics: Chelsea, Brighton And Hove Albion, Callum Hudson-Odoi, Football, Premier League, Ghana, England, Football World Cup
Rory O'Callaghan
Topics: Chelsea, Brighton And Hove Albion, Callum Hudson-Odoi, Football, Premier League, Ghana, England, Football World Cup
Chelsea winger Callum Hudson-Odoi is reportedly considering switching his international allegiance from England to Ghana ahead of the World Cup, while the African nation are also targeting Brighton’s Tariq Lamptey.
According to Goal, Hudson-Odoi is said to be weighing up his options ahead of the tournament, which begins in November.
The 21-year-old has already made three senior appearances for England, with his last cap coming in a Euro 2020 qualifier against Kosovo in 2019.
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In August last year, Hudson-Odoi turned down the opportunity to play for England's U21 team for their games against Romania and Kosovo and his international future remains uncertain.
FIFA rules state that a player is able to change their allegiance if they have played no more than three competitive international games before the age of 21.
Those rules will allow Hudson-Odoi to declare himself for Ghana in time to compete at the World Cup.
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Ghana booked their place in Qatar by beating Nigeria on away goals in their play-off on Tuesday.
The Black Stars, who will be seeded in pot four for Friday’s World Cup draw, are also hopeful of convincing Brighton defender Lamptey to declare for them ahead of the tournament.
Lamptey, 21, is an England U21 international but is yet to make a senior appearance for the Three Lions.
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Speaking about recruiting the Premier League pair, Ghana FA communications director Henry Asante Twum told Citi TV: “If it is that we wake up tomorrow and the new coach of the Black Stars wants Tariq, Hudson-Odoi, whoever is available, we will look at the regulations and the possibility of getting them.
“If it is within our reach, we pursue it.
“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.”