England looking to poach Ireland wonderkid for themselves

Hands off!

Owen Elding top prospect

Owen Elding has enjoyed an impressive start to his career with Hibernian, after his £430,000 move in January from Sligo Rovers, with three goals in nine games.

The 20-year-old was born in England, but qualifies for Ireland through his father, who played for Sligo and brought with him his six-year-old son to these shores.

Elding recently said: “Ireland is all I know, I don’t really remember much of England, growing up my whole life in Sligo. So to hopefully one day put on the Irish jersey would be a proud moment for me and my family.”

The youngster was hoping to finally secure his Irish citizenship, but, as he explained, the process was slowed down after a citizenship event in Kerry was cancelled over the fuel protests.

Elding said: “I was meant to go to the ceremony on the Tuesday to get my naturalisation but it was cancelled because of the fuel protests. That’s rescheduled for later in the summer, I think. Hopefully once I go there it [passport] shouldn’t be too far away. I need to go to the ceremony first and then I can apply for a passport.

“I have no idea what the delay was. There was just a really big hold up for some reason. Obviously it’s taken quite a while now, but thank God it’s nearly done.

“I’m ready to put the green jersey on whenever. Football’s a funny game, it can move so quick. If I had a passport now I could be in the first [senior Ireland] team, could be in the under 21s, wherever. But I think it all depends on what I do here at Hibs day in, day out, training, performing at the weekend and then we’ll see what happens.

“I had a call with Heimir a couple of weeks ago, just about the passport and all that situation. So hopefully once it’s all done I’ll push and try and get into his team."