Northern Ireland manager Michael O’Neill has named his squad for next month’s friendlies against Guinea and France.
O’Neill has chosen a 23-strong panel for the two international challenge matches.
His squad shows several changes from the 28-player squad originally chosen for the games against Italy and Wales back in March.
Northern Ireland are set to play Guinea on Thursday 4 June at Estadio Ciudad de La Línea in the Cadiz region of Spain (5pm kick-off BST). The stadium is just a stone’s throw from Gibraltar.
Their second friendly is away to World Cup-bound France on Monday 8 June (8.10pm start BST). The venue is the Decathlon Arena - Stade Pierre-Mauroy on the outskirts of Lille.
There are two new faces in O’Neill’s squad: exciting young attackers Braiden Graham and Ceadach O’Neill.
Graham (18) has been training with Everton’s first team squad in recent months. He was named in Everton’s first team on two occasions this season - in the Premier League against Nottingham Forest back in December and against Sunderland in the FA Cup in January. He was an unused substitute in both games.
The striker scored 22 goals in 31 appearances for Everton's U21s this term and four in four outings for Everton U18s. He also scored twice in four outings for Gareth McAuley's Northern Ireland U19 side. He was called up by Tommy Wright for the U21s, but has yet to earn a cap at that level. Graham has also played for his country at U16 and U17 level.
O’Neill, who turned 18 last month, has been in the Arsenal first team squad on two occasions this term – for ties against Wigan Athletic and Southampton in the FA Cup. He was an unused sub in both games.
The winger/striker scored 13 goals in 17 appearances for the Gunners' U18 side this season, two in eight outings for the U21s and two in four appearances for Arsenal’s U19s. He has three U21 caps for Northern Ireland, and he has also played for the U16s, U17s and U19s.
Both Graham and O'Neill are former Linfield players and graduates from the JD-sponsored Irish FA Academy. Graham made his Linfield debut in March 2023 aged just 15 years and 137 days (making him the club's youngest ever player), while O'Neill made his Blues debut in September 2023 aged 15 years and 148 days.
Meanwhile, Liverpool winger Kieran Morrison, who along with Graham was shortlisted for PL2 player of the season, has retained his place in the squad after receiving a first senior call-up in the spring.
And Blackburn Rovers defender Tom Atcheson, a late replacement for the injured Daniel Ballard in March, has also kept his place in the panel. Atcheson earned his first senior cap in the friendly against Wales which followed the World Cup play-off defeat to Italy.
Sunderland defender Ballard is not available this time. Also missing are goalkeepers Bailey Peacock-Farrell (Birmingham City) and Conor Hazard (Plymouth Argyle) along with Huddersfield Town forward Dion Charles and Portsmouth defender Terry Devlin.
Hull City defender Paddy McNair, who helped the Tigers defeat his former club Middlesbrough in the EFL Championship play-off on Saturday, is not available either, and nor are midfield pair George Saville (Luton Town) and Brad Lyons (Kilmarnock).
Bolton Wanderers captain Eoin Toal is another absentee. Toal missed Bolton’s EFL League One play-off success against Stockport County on Sunday after damaging his hamstring in the semi-final, although he got to lift the trophy at Wembley.
Bristol Rovers keeper Luke Southwood returns after missing out in March.
Tickets for the games in Spain and France are available at irishfa.com/tickets.
Next month’s friendlies will kick-start preparations for the UEFA Nations League campaign this autumn when Northern Ireland will face Hungary, Ukraine and Georgia in League B Group 2.
The Northern Ireland squad for the matches against Guinea and France is as follows:
Goalkeepers – Pierce Charles (Sheffield Wednesday), Josh Clarke (Partick Thistle), Luke Southwood (Bristol Rovers).
Defenders – Ciaron Brown and Brodie Spencer (both Oxford United), Trai Hume (Sunderland), Ruairi McConville (Norwich City), Tom Atcheson (Blackburn Rovers).
Midfielders - Alistair McCann (Preston North End), Shea Charles (Southampton), Isaac Price (West Bromwich Albion), Paul Smyth (Queens Park Rangers), Ethan Galbraith (Swansea City), Justin Devenny (Crystal Palace), Jamie McDonnell (Oxford United), Patrick Kelly (Barnsley), Kieran Morrison (Liverpool).
Forwards - Josh Magennis (Exeter City), Callum Marshall (West Ham United), Jamie Reid (Stevenage), Jamie Donley (Tottenham Hotspur), Braiden Graham (Everton), Ceadach O’Neill (Arsenal).
