Teenage striker Mason Melia is set to be named in the Republic of Ireland squad for the upcoming friendlies against Qatar and Canada.
Ireland manager Heimir Hallgrímsson revealed that Melia will be fast-tracked into the senior panel when Qatar visit the Aviva Stadium on Thursday, May 28th and for a friendly against Canada in Montreal on Saturday, June 6th.
The 18-year-old had struggled with a back injury since he completed a €1.9 million move from St Patrick’s Athletic to Tottenham Hotspur last January but looked sharp on his return this month with goals against Chelsea and Brighton in the Premier League under-21 playoffs.
Melia scored 21 goals in 76 appearances in the League of Ireland for St Pat’s and transferred that form to the Ireland under-21s last season, with three goals in six caps.
“I have to be honest, I haven’t seen him play for Tottenham’s under-21s in their last games, but Jim [Crawford, Ireland under-21 manager] has,” said Hallgrímsson during a training session at La Finca resort in Spain ahead of Saturday’s friendly against Grenada in Murcia.
