Following Roy Hodgson refusing to award Liverpool star Jordan Ibe with his first England cap, to ensure he stays out of the clutches of Nigeria, the 19 year old has instead opted to commit himself to the England cause.
Considering the amount of viable options for England out wide are plenty, with the likes of Sterling, Oxlade-Chamberlain and Walcott, it may seem foolish of Ibe to commit himself so soon but knowing how highly thought of he is at Anfield, it’s surely only a matter of time before he receives the call.
Explaining his decision to Liverpoolfc.com, Ibe said: “It was my choice and it feels the right choice for me.
“I was born here and have played in the younger age groups. I want to take it up to the first team one day.
Ibe may not be a permanent fixture for Liverpool just yet, but he has featured in 19 games for the Reds since returning from loan last season and it is believed that he is a more than capable replacement for the departed Raheem Sterling – a player he will be in competition with once he does finally break into the England side.
But, for the time being, he is enjoying his experience with the U21s, in which he appeared twice during the international break. He continued: “It was great and I enjoyed myself.
“I felt as though Joe and I did well. It was a great experience and I’m looking forward to the coming games.
“You want to represent your country well. Even at times when you’ve not got games for Liverpool, doing well with England is vital.”