Leeds United midfielder Charlie Allen is hoping to catch the eye of Ian Baraclough after earning a call-up to Northern Ireland’s training camp in England this week.
Allen, who joined the Yorkshire club from Linfield in July 2020, is one of several underage talents to be handed the opportunity to impress at St George’s Park.
The 18-year-old joins the likes of fellow teenagers Darren Robinson (Derby County), Sean Stewart (Norwich City), Dermot Mee (Manchester United), Shea Charles and Terry Devlin (Dungannon Swifts) at the four-day camp.
Read more: Norwich City left-back Sean Stewart given chance to impress Ian Baraclough
Glentoran winger Conor McMenamin has also been rewarded for an impressive season in the Danske Bank Premiership. He is one of four Irish League players included alongside Devlin, Larne defender Kofi Balmer and teenage Glenavon keeper Josh Clarke.
Baraclough is using the get-together to help senior players prepare for next month’s Nations League fixtures and also expose younger players to the senior set-up.
Allen, who has starred for both the Leeds U18 and U23 teams this season, made his Linfield debut at the age of 15 in April 2019.
He went on to make eight appearances for the Blues before securing a cross-channel transfer to Elland Road in the summer of 2020.
The Carrickfergus native, who is a graduate of the Irish FA JD Academy, is regarded as one of the brightest talents to make the move from Irish League football in recent years.
And he has earned rave reviews during his time at Leeds so far, helping the U23s to the Premier League 2 Division 2 title last year.
Asked about his future ambitions last year, Allen said: “The ultimate goal is to play in the first team at Leeds and I’m hoping to push on with Northern Ireland.”
Allen is part of a youthful squad called up for the four-day traning camp which also includes Glentoran winger Conor McMenamin.
The full squad is as follows:-
Goalkeepers – Luke Southwood (Reading), Dermot Mee (Manchester United), Josh Clarke (Glenavon).
Defenders – Ciaron Brown (Oxford United, on loan from Cardiff City), Michael Forbes (West Ham United), Paddy Lane (Fleetwood Town), Shea Charles (Manchester City), Sam McClelland (Chelsea), Brodie Spencer (Huddersfield Town), Sean Stewart (Norwich City), Kofi Balmer (Larne), Ruairi McConville (Brighton and Hove Albion).
Midfielders – Alistair McCann (Preston North End), Alfie McCalmont (Morecambe, on loan from Leeds United), Oisin Smyth (Oxford United), Caolan Boyd-Munce (Middlesbrough), Terry Devlin (Dungannon Swifts), Barry Baggley (Fleetwood Town), Charlie Allen (Leeds United), Darren Robinson (Derby County).
Forwards – Conor Washington (Charlton Athletic), Shayne Lavery (Blackpool), Gavin Whyte (Oxford United, on loan from Cardiff City), Dion Charles (Bolton Wanderers), Paul Smyth (Leyton Orient), Conor McMenamin (Glentoran).
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