In demand midfielder closes door on Ireland switch for the time being

Well that's that then!

Ireland have been crying out for a top-class midfielder for years, with the likes of Josh Cullen and Jason Knight doing their upmost but not quite dominating the centre of the field.

After missing out on Declan Rice and Jack Grealish, Everton's Kiernan Frank Dewsbury-Hall was the latest fixation for Ireland fans, and he would be a perfect fit for a struggling team.

However, after months of speculation, the Toffees man has firmly put to bed any hopes of switching allegiances, and revealed that captain and Ireland icon, Séamus Coleman, has encouraged him to pursue his dream of playing for England.

Dewsbury-Hall said: "I told him where my head is at and that is that I see myself as English and the biggest dream of mine would be to play for England.

“It would be unfair of me to keep saying ‘I want to play for the Republic of Ireland’ when that’s probably not that I want to do, as much as I respect Irish people, their fans and the way they are. It just wouldn’t feel right for me.

"I want to give myself a chance of playing for England, which is a lifelong dream,” continued Dewsbury-Hall, who was speaking to Everton's in house TV channel.

"I still believe that I can do it if I play well enough. That’s where my head is at and Seamus knows that. He’s the kind of guy who will say ‘Yes I believe in you and I trust whatever you want to do, you’re going to go all in to achieve it.’ He was great in terms of that.”