Chipolopolo coach Avram Grant has disclosed to BolaNews that he will enquire on the possibility of newly signed Manchester United winger, Samuel Malama Lusale playing for Zambia.
The English Premier League side signed Lusale, a winger of Zambian descent, as their latest addition to their academy from Crystal Palace and unveiled him last month.
The 17-year-old qualifies to represent Zambia through his father. However, he has already represented Slovakia, his mother’s country in the U-17 European Championship but remains eligible to switch his international allegiance.
Lusale is widely regarded as European football’s next big star, having been praised for his speed, relentless desire to beat defenders, and clever movement in the final third.
He spent last season at Selhurst Park, playing for Crystal Palace’s U-16 and U-18 teams.
”I am hearing about him for the first time. Is he Zambian?” Grant asked. “ I will definitely make a follow up and find out if he wants to play for Zambia, that’s good. We need more players in Europe.”
Several blogs have in the past months reported that Lusale’s Zambian father, revealed that he intended for his son to play for Chipolopolo but failed to contact the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ). However, he hasn’t addressed these reports with confirmation.
Grant is also in touch with Jack Kalichi Lahne, a Zambian born winger raised by Swedish parents who adopted him at a young age from Chinkankata.
”I was talking to him (Lahne) last week. All he needs now is just a Zambian passport and he will play for Zambia. He is very ready and I have had multiple conversations with him,” Grant revealed.
Lahne who was previously playing for French club, Amiens SC is now with Norwegian side, Egersund where he has so far played nine games and scored twice while registering two assists.
BolaNews understands that Lahne has already applied for a Zambian passport and is waiting for a response.
FAZ aware of Europe-based would be Chipolopolo stars
Meanwhile, the FAZ through the office it’s technical director, Liason Zulu told BolaNews earlier in July that they have established a deliberate program to monitor a large number of European-born players of Zambian descent, and those who want to represent Chipolopolo will be given a chance.
In May of this year, Grant stated that he is monitoring a list of players with Zambian roots in Europe, but the challenge is that they do not hold Zambian passports.
“We are now in the process of checking [some of these players], because you know, we want to have many players who play board in better leagues,” he said. “I know the leagues here, they make a lot of effort and everything, but still, it is not the level that we need. So we have a list of players that play out of Zambia and have Zambian roots but they don’t have [Zambian] passports.”
He added: “We are in the process of checking. I think we need more players. We don’t have enough players [playing abroad].”
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