Ronan insists he’s committed to the Republic

The star of Stephen Kenny’s Ireland U21 soccer team, Connor Ronan, has assured Ireland fans that he has no intention of emulating Declan Rice by defecting to his homeland, England. Wolves playmaker Ronan, currently on loan in Slovakia, earned the man-of-the-match award for his masterclass in Sunday’s 3-0 victory over Luxembourg, supplying assists for two of the goals.

Naturally, following the Rice fiasco and, to a lesser extent before him, Jack Grealish, fears surrounding English-born players jumping ship have increased. Ronan and West Ham United midfielder Conor Coventry, another of Kenny’s cadets, will emerge further onto the radar of the English Football Association should their career ascents continue.