Michael O’Neill will not be naming Ronan Hale in his Northern Ireland squad for this month’s crunch Nations League games against Belarus and Luxembourg.
While the Irish FA remain confident that Hale’s switch from the Republic of Ireland to Northern Ireland will go through, Belfast Telegraph Sport understands that the international transfer request still hasn’t been completed.
O’Neill is due to name his Northern Ireland panel for the games on Tuesday morning.
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The Belfast Telegraph revealed in August that the Irish FA were working on an international transfer for Ross County striker Hale, with O’Neill confirming that he had held positive conversations with the 26 year-old and that the paperwork had been lodged with Fifa so that the switch could happen.
Belfast-born Hale has previously played for the Republic of Ireland at Under-19 and Under-21 level.
Although O’Neill has several striking options in the form of Dion Charles, Jamie Reid, Josh Magennis and Lee Bonis, he remains keen to bolster Northern Ireland’s ranks with the addition of Hale.
Meanwhile, Northern Ireland’s Under-17s topped their qualifying group and advanced to the Elite Round of the U17 Euros, despite a 3-1 loss to Lithuania at Seaview on Monday night. Glenavon’s Paul McGovern was on target for Andy Waterworth’s side.
Earlier wins over Scotland and the Republic of Ireland — who also progressed in second spot — were enough to seal Northern Ireland’s place in the next round.