Blackburn Rovers star Sammie Szmodics is in line for an Ireland call-up next week.
The midfielder has finally been granted an Irish passport - almost two years after he was first wanted by Stephen Kenny.
Szmodics was forced to withdraw from the squad for friendlies against Andorra and Hungary in June 2021 with a shoulder injury.
Complications in securing his passport, reportedly due to administration issues, meant there were no further calls, however Kenny continued to keep tabs on the 27-year-old.
Szmodics is eligible for Ireland through his late grandmother and this week he finally received the required paperwork to secure his passport.
His form this season has propelled him into contention for a place in Kenny’s squad for this month’s friendly against Latvia and Euro 2024 qualifier against France.
He has scored five goals in 30 appearances for Blackburn since his €2m transfer from Peterborough last summer.
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