Northern Ireland manager Michael O’Neill insists “there’s no need to have conversations” with Fleetwood Town’s penalty shoot-out hero Conor Haughey over his international future as he’s not yet made any indication of wanting to switch allegiance to the Republic of Ireland.

Haughey is a graduate of the Irish FA’s JD Academy and has represented Northern Ireland up to U21 level – he started for Tommy Wright’s side in their final European Championship qualifying match against Greece in October.

However, there has been speculation around Haughey’s long-term future amid reports the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) are “hopeful” he will pledge his allegiance to the Republic of Ireland.

O’Neill was present at Highbury Stadium to watch Haughey’s heroics against reigning Premier League champions Arsenal as he scored the last penalty in their seismic Carabao Cup shock last week – but insists he hasn’t discussed international matters with the Belfast teenager.

placeholder image — Northern Ireland's Conor Haughey was Fleetwood Town's hero in their win over Arsenal. (Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images)

"There’s no need to have those conversations,” said O’Neill. “At the end of the day, he's part of our U21 group, he's on the radar of the senior squad.

"We don't have those conversations until it comes to the point that the player indicates that he would want to make an international transfer – we're not at that point.”

O’Neill named his squad for Northern Ireland’s final two Nations League matches on Tuesday morning – they face Ukraine on November 14 and travel to Hungary three days later.

While Haughey wasn’t included alongside fellow teenagers Braiden Graham, Ceadach O’Neill and Kieran Morrison, Northern Ireland chief O’Neill has been impressed with his recent performances.

"I was more interested in how Conor played (against Arsenal) than the penalty kick situation,” added O’Neill. “I normally would leave a game just before the end but I stayed to the end in this case and stayed for the penalties.

"I was a little bit surprised to see Conor step up and take the fifth penalty, but it showed real confidence which is nice to see in a young player. It showed a really positive attitude.

"I felt he played well in the game...he's playing against (Viktor) Gyokeres, (Kai) Havertz, and Arsenal finished with a very, very strong team with the substitutions that they made at that time.

"To get through the game, to finish the game 1-1 and take it to penalties was a big achievement for Fleetwood and big for a young player to be involved in that type of game, playing as a right-sided centre-back in a back three.

"We know Conor well from the coaches who have worked within the 21s. I watched him in the game against Greece and thought he played well in that game.

"He's a centre-back that has good technical ability, there's no doubt about that.

"But like anything, all these young players, they need minutes, they need games to really progress and he's hopefully going to get that at Fleetwood.

"There's no reason why he can't progress and take that next step and either work his way through the leagues with Fleetwood or obviously with someone else coming in and seeing him as a real asset.”