Gareth Southgate has revealed England are keeping tabs on Crystal Palace’s Michael Olise after he was left out of the France squad for the European Championship.
Olise, 22, was born in London to a Nigerian father and a French-Algerian mother, and is eligible to play for all four nations.
He has been capped by France at Under-18 and U-21 level but was overlooked by national team boss Didier Deschamps for this summer’s Euros, despite a blistering end to the season with the Eagles.
Olise finished the campaign with 10 League goals and six assists in just 14 starts, and Southgate says England should maintain an interest in the forward.
“He would have to have a transfer of association,” Southgate said after naming a 33-man provisional squad for the tournament.
“That process would take quite a while.
“He is obviously a very good player, he hasn't made their squad. They might be taking him to the Olympics, I don't know.
"He is a player we should have an interest in because he is a very good player but there is no way you could do all of that in time for the Euros.”
Four of Olise’s Palace teammates did make England’s training group, in Eberechi Eze, Adam Wharton, Marc Guehi and Dean Henderson.
Eze may have a chance to impress in England's warm-up games against Bosnia & Herzegovina on June 3 and Iceland four days later, with Jude Bellingham set to miss both matches after competing in the Champions League Final with Real Madrid on June 1.
"We could get him [for Iceland] in but I think it is more important to have a few days [rest]," Southgate said of Bellingham.
"It's been an incredible season whatever the consequence of the Champions League Final. I know the boys that have been in it, it's huge. There's more risk to bring him in after three days, lobbing him back out there again, than the benefit of getting him physically and psychologically rested for a few days."
