Republic of Ireland striker Ronan Hale will soon be available as a Northern Ireland player as FIFA will finalise his transfer in the coming weeks.
According to The Belfast Telegraph, the Ross County goal-getter will be able to join Michael O’Neill’s squad in the near future.
Hale has represented the Republic of Ireland u19 and u21 sides in the past, but has yet to receive a call-up to the senior squad, making him eligible for the move.
The 26-year-old comes from the north and made his name for Belfast club Cliftonvile, famously scoring twice in the 2024 Irish Cup final against local rivals Linfield.
Hale’s prolific scoring caught the eye of Ross County, and he took to life in the Scottish Premier League with relative ease, finding a great run of goals in at the start of the campaign.
The Belfast Telegraph reported last August that the move was in motion, and the manager had been in contact with the player.
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“Ronan and I spoke before he went to Ross County and then shortly after, and he indicated he wanted to go through the international transfer process.
"International football helps any player so if you get the opportunity to play it you should take it. We have had conversations with other players who are eligible but have chosen not to do that at this moment in time.
“Ronan was very willing to do it.”
Hale will join Liverpool’s Conor Bradley in the NI squad, another player who could have just as easily played for the Republic, but Heimir Hallgrímsson will be focused on his own squad, the footballers that are available to him, and trying to qualify for the 2026 World Cup next summer.
