Northern Ireland confident of retaining Ceadach O’Neill as update expected

Michael O’Neill has fast-tracked the Arsenal teenager. 

Michael O'Neill is aware that the Derry native is a target for the Republic. Pic: Mike Egerton/PA Wire.

An update on Ceadach O’Neill is expected today, with Northern Ireland increasingly confident of retaining the Arsenal teen in the face of interest from the FAI.

Michael O’Neill fast-tracked the attacker, who only turned 18 in April, into his senior squad for the summer friendlies against Guinea and France, providing his first pair of caps.

The Northern Ireland manager is aware that the Derry native is a target for the Republic and will likely retain him in his squad named today despite the player being currently injured.

FAI director of football John Martin spoke earlier in the year about intensifying their recruitment of players born outside of the 26 counties, on the island or Ireland and abroad, citing Liverpool defender Conor Bradley as a particularly stinging case of one that got away in the past.

O’Neill was promoted to Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal squad during the pre-season and gave a guarded answer on his international allegiance when asked after the friendly in Dublin against Real Betis.

For the player to switch, he must avoid being capped in a competitive match at senior level and request a transfer via Fifa.

Northern Ireland play Georgia twice, Hungary and Ukraine over their four-game international window between September 25 and October 5 that marks the beginning of their Uefa Nations League campaign.