Evan Ferguson has been included in the Republic of Ireland squad for their decisive World Cup qualifiers against Portugal and Hungary despite currently being sidelined by injury.
They are confident he can play some part over the coming fortnight.
The 21-year-old on loan from [Albion](https://www.theargus.co.uk/sport/albion/?ref=au) limped out of Roma’s 2-1 Serie A win over Parma last Wednesday evening with ankle ligament damage.
They have effectively ruled him out until after the international break – which means he misses Sunday’s game with Udinese having also sat out a 1-0 defeat at Milan and the Europa League clash at Rangers.
However Ferguson, who has scored three of Ireland’s four goals to date, has been named as one of six attacking players in Heimir Hallgrimsson’s 25-man squad for the two games which will decide their fate.
Hallgrimsson said: “He’s back on the grass. He’s recovering from a knock. We’ll call him in and would have called him in anyway to assess him and maybe had the option of playing him only for the second game.
“He has been key to our goals and scoring for us, so we’ll call him in and we’ll assess him. But we are positive that he will be ready.”
The squad includes Andrew Moran, who has been impressing with LAFC on loan from the Seagulls.
Former Albion midfielder Jayson Molumby, suspended for the clash with the Portuguese, is among the party.
Ferguson’s goals haul in international football has been in contrast to a blank so far for Roma in Serie A and Europe.
They have now lost Paolo Dybala, who had been leading the attack, for a month and will be keeping an eye on Ferguson’s progress.
Even if much of the talk in the Italian capital has been on looking for a new striker ahead of the January window and cutting short Ferguson’s loan.
Ireland face unbeaten group leaders Portugal in Dublin next Thursday evening before travelling to Budapest for their final qualifier against Hungary three days later.
They are currently a point behind the Hungarians, who travel to face Armenia, where Ireland lost 2-1 in September, in the race for the runners-up spot.