Benfica have withdrawn Cork-born teen Jaden Umeh from Ireland duty, denying their 18-year-old winger a potential senior debut against Grenada on Saturday.
As the first of Ireland’s three summer friendlies is outside of Fifa’s international window, clubs are not obliged to release their players until later in May.
Umeh scored a brace in Benfica’s 6-2 victory over UD Leiria on Sunday but instead of linking up with the Ireland squad in Murcia, the Portuguese giants are keeping him at their Lisbon base.
Benfica face a must-win clash against Famalicão next Saturday on the final day of the U19 campaign,
“Benfica are still fighting in their U19s to be in the Uefa Youth League,” explained Ireland Head Coach Heimir Hallgrimsson from their training base in Spain.
“The plan was for them to have secured that by now, but unfortunately, results this weekend didn’t go their way, so Jaden still has one more game to play.
“We knew beforehand that this was a possibility, even if it was unlikely.
“It is unlucky for him that the results went that way, as we were looking forward to working with him, but we understand the club’s position and will have to wait for a future window to bring him into the environment.”
The Ireland squad continued their preparations in Murcia on Monday.
As part of their training week, the group will play a behind-closed-doors training match against Real Murcia ‘B’ tomorrow, Tuesday, May 12.
Ireland will conclude the training camp against Grenada on Saturday, May 16, at the Estadio Nueva Condomina, with kick-off at 5pm (6pm Irish).
Once the first game concludes, another squad, with limited overlap, will be unveiled by the Icelander for the other two friendlies, at home to Qatar on May 28 and away to Canada on June 5.
Goalkeepers: Max O’Leary (West Bromwich Albion), Josh Keeley (Luton Town), Killian Cahill (Leyton Orient).
Defenders: Dara O’Shea (Ipswich Town), Eiran Cashin (Blackburn Rovers – loan), James Abankwah (Watford), Mark McGuinness (Sheffield United), Tayo Adaramola (Sheffield Wednesday – loan).
Midfielders: Jayson Molumby (West Bromwich Albion), Jason Knight (Bristol City), Conor Coventry (Charlton Athletic), Andrew Moran (Preston North End), Rory Finneran (Newcastle United).
Forwards: Adam Idah (Swansea City), Tom Cannon (Sheffield United), Chiedozie Ogbene (Sheffield United – loan), Millenic Alli (Portsmouth), Jack Moylan (Lincoln City), Aidomo Emakhu (Oxford United).