10 September 2023 , 21:30
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Gareth Southgate has admitted England looked at trying to snap up Brighton sensation Evan Ferguson.
Three Lions boss Southgate says they have long since given up on trying to get the Republic of Ireland striker to follow the likes of Jack Grealish and Declan Rice in pledging their international futures to England.
Teenage striker Ferguson is one of the most exciting young players in the Premier League and has played for Ireland at senior level. His parentage had left the door open for England to try and snap him up, but that has been closed.
However, Southgate confirmed they are tracking Newcastle ’s Elliot Anderson who was born in England but has represented Scotland up to under-21 level.
Anderson, 20, pulled out of the Scotland squad last week which has raised doubts about his international future and Southgate wants to look at players with dual nationality but joked Erling Haaland - born in Leeds but plays for Norway - was mission impossible.
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Southgate said: “We like Anderson, we do like him. We think he’s a player that’s doing really well. Obviously, he was called into their squad earlier in the week and I don’t know what the position is at the moment. I saw he’s pulled out.
Evan Ferguson now can't switch his allegiance from Ireland (AFP via Getty Images)“Let’s see, that’s something that our organisation will be picking up. He’s definitely a player we like.”
“I think Ferguson’s played too many games at senior level, I think he’s got eight caps now. I’m not exactly sure on whether he definitely can’t, but I think he’s made it very clear he feels he was born in Ireland.
“I think he’s a bloody good player. We have to respect him, I don't think he’s given any inkling that would be any different.
“At the same time, we were looking at Haaland and wishing that he might have been available as well. But we’ve got a pretty good number nine and we’re very happy with him!”
Haaland was born in Yorkshire in 2000 when his father was playing for Leeds and Manchester City, but has previously said there was no chance he'd ever play for England having left the country when he was a child.
Elliot Anderson, who is still eligible for England, has withdrawn from the Scotland squad (PA)"I lived here [England] for three-and-a-half or four years and I lived in Norway for such a long time, so then it was natural for me to choose Norway," Haaland told Goal.
"You never know how it would be if maybe my father played longer in England or whatever, maybe I would be English, I don't know. But yeah, I'm Norwegian and I'm proud of it."