Tuesday 29 August 2017 13:46, UK
Manchester City target Jonny Evans has been named in Northern Ireland's squad for their upcoming World Cup Qualifiers despite injury.
Evans, who has missed West Brom's unbeaten start to the Premier League season with a hamstring injury, has been the subject of failed £18m bid from City.
The centre-back's club and international team-mate Gareth McAuley remains out with a thigh injury, while Liam Boyce, Jamie Ward, Will Grigg and Paddy McNair also miss out with injury.
Queens Park Rangers striker Conor Washington returns to the squad after missing the win in Azerbaijan because he was getting married. Corry Evans and Craig Cathcart are also available to Michael O'Neill.
O'Neill will be keen to see a conclusion to the Evans uncertainty before the squad meet up at Manchester City's training centre next week, as they begin their preparations for the crucial qualifiers against San Marino and Czech Republic.
They are currently four points clear of Czech Republic and can guarantee a second-placed finish in this double header if results go their way.
O'Neill hopes Evans will be fit for the September qualifiers: "If he's fit to play, he'll play. If he's not fit to play, he'll not be with us," he said.
"I don't want to comment too much on Jonny's fitness because it's between him and his club at the moment. In conversations (I've had) with Jonny, he's optimistic he's going to be fit to play. We have to see what happens at the
weekend."
Full Northern Ireland squad:
Goalkeepers: Roy Carrol, Michael McGovern, Alan Mannus.
Defenders: Daniel Lafferty, Aaron Hughes, Craig Cathcart, Tom Flanagan, Lee Hodson, Adam Thompson, Ryan McLaughlin, Chris Brunt, Jonny Evans, Conor McLaughlin
Midfielders: Paul Paton, Niall McGinn, Matthew Lund, Corry Evans, Ollie Norwood, Steven Davis, Stuart Dallas, Shane Ferguson
Forwards: Shay McCartan, Kyle Lafferty, Josh Magennis, Conor Washington.
