Southampton manager, Ralph Hasenhuttl says that the decision over Mohammed Salisu’s international future lies with him after Ghana qualified for the Qatar 2022 Fifa World Cup.
The 22-year-old defender is yet to feature at senior international level for his country, although he was initially called up back in 2019 when at Real Valladolid, only to be unavailable as he cited injury concerns.
Subsequent overtures to have him feature for the Black Stars in the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) and World Cup qualifiers since switching to the Premier League with Southampton have also proved futile.
Salisu has previously been quoted as saying that he will be proud to play for his country, but that he wanted to focus on his club football first.
But Ghana have now qualified for the World Cup after defeating Nigeria in a play-off this week, winning the tie on away goals after a 1-1 draw in Abuja on Tuesday. So does that perhaps change things for Salisu with the potential to play at a World Cup in Qatar later this year?
“It is an interesting question, and we are always talking about it,” Hasenhuttl said.
“I don’t know whether it changes now, but I think it doesn’t help because the team made it to the World Cup and they deserve to play there, and he was not part of it. But what happens in the future, I don’t know, it is his decision.”
Mohammed Salisu has been a standout performer for Southampton at times this term, making 30 appearances in all competitions and establishing himself as a regular in Hasenhuttl’s side in what is his second season in English football, following his move from Real Valladolid in the summer of 2020.
©Hampshirelive
