Ireland fears losing Kevin Zefi to Albania

Ireland Under-21 coach Jim Crawford expressed hope that Kevin Zefi will remain with the team amid reports he may switch to Albania. Zefi qualifies for Albania through his parents but has not been named in the latest squad. Crawford stated there has been no contact from the Albanian Football Association regarding Zefi's potential transfer. He emphasized that Zefi is still considered an Under-21 player for Ireland and needs to focus on gaining more playing time. In addition to Zefi's situation, Crawford announced three new players in the squad for upcoming friendlies against Scotland and Hungary. The squad also sees the return of two players who missed previous matches due to injury.