Declan Rice is facing a race against time to gain Fifa clearance to represent England in the upcoming European qualifiers.
Gareth Southgate's side begin their qualifying campaign for Euro 2020 against the Czech Republic on March 22, with the Three Lions manager set to name his squad in the week commencing March 11.
However, Fifa are yet to receive the West Ham star's written request, along with the relevant registration paperwork, in order for a change of association to take place.
Rice, 20, announced earlier in February, after months of deliberations with family, friends and trusted figures in football, that despite having appeared in three friendly internationals for the Republic of Ireland, he would henceforth be making himself available for England selection.
In a statement posted via his social media channels on February 13, Rice wrote: “This afternoon I telephoned both [Ireland manager] Mick McCarthy and Gareth Southgate to inform them of my decision to submit a written request to Fifa for the transfer of my international registration from the Republic of Ireland to England."
The FA, FAI and Rice, together, are still collating the relevant paperwork to send to Fifa's general secretariat, before the request can be put before the governing body's Players' Status Committee for review and approval, a process which can take weeks.
Should Rice's request and registration forms arrive at Fifa's Swiss headquarters in the near future, there remains a chance he could be eligible to be included in Southgate's squad for the March games, which would serve as a chance for the midfielder to put himself in contention to earn a place in June's squad for the inaugural Uefa Nations League finals.
Asked whether or not his star midfielder would be ready to take on the challenge of playing for England, West Ham manager Manuel Pellegrini did not hold back in his praise.
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"I think that he is ready to play for England and I think that we are just starting the development of him as a player but at this moment his performances is better than every holding midfielder [that England has]," Pellegrini said.
"Is he the best in the Premier League? In this moment his performance, yes, at least I am talking about the English players."
