The 42

REPUBLIC OF IRELAND manager Stephen Kenny has confirmed Tom Cannon has been asked to switch to England and the striker withdrew from the Irish U21s squad to weigh up the offer. 

Cannon has also deleted an Instagram photo marking his Irish U21s debut in March. 

Liverpool-born Cannon qualifies for Ireland via his grandparents and has worn green at U19, U20, and U21 level, but he has now been asked to play for the English U21s.

Cannon made his Premier League debut for Everton last season and spent the season’s latter half on loan at Preston, where he scored eight goals in 20 Championship appearances. He played – and scored – in the Irish U21s friendly win over Iceland in March and was then called up to the Irish senior squad for a training camp in Bristol last month. He withdrew from that camp with tonsilitis, but Kenny said Cannon would be included in the U21s squad for their friendly games in Austria this month while remaining on standby for the senior squad.

Cannon, however, wasn’t named in that Irish U21s squad, and Kenny today confirmed that the English FA have made an approach.

Kenny was informed when he took a call from Cannon’s agent, Kenny Moyes – brother of West Ham manager David – at the start of June. 

“He just said ‘let’s get this camp out of the way and we’ll come and meet you and have a chat’”, said Kenny. “He said ‘Obviously England U21s have made an approach’ and he just needed a bit of time to reflect and see what the situation was and wanted to speak to me after the camp, sit down and have a conversation.” 

Kenny was speaking from the Irish team hotel in Antalya, where they are preparing for next Friday’s Euro 2024 qualifier away to Greece. 

“He’s probably done better than could have been expected”, said Kenny of Cannon’s impressive loan spell. “It is what is is. I’d rather focus on the players we have here. I’m very happy with the strikers we have here. He still has a lot of improving to do but he seems a good lad. I actually don’t know him that well because he’s not been in our system that long. Obviously I’ve had a few conversations with him. We’re just focused on the players that we have here. We’re delighted with the players that we have here. We’re happy with the strikeforce we have.”

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