Wales want Phillips to join World Cup campaign

Wales hope Tottenham defender Ashley Phillips could boost their World Cup qualifying hopes, if they can persuade the 20-year-old to switch allegiance from England.

Salford-born Phillips, who has a Welsh mother, was capped by Wales at under-16 level before representing England at various age grades.

Wales have made contact with the centre-back who was in the England U21 squad in November and also qualifies for Nigeria.

Head coach Craig Bellamy will be without injured captain Ben Davies for World Cup play-offs at the end of the month, while West Brom centre-back Chris Mepham has also been absent for over a month with a hamstring problem.

Bellamy is keen to include Phillips on 17 March when he names his squad for a semi-final against Bosnia and Herzegovina in Cardiff on 26 March.

The winners will face Italy or Northern Ireland at home five days later for a place at this summer's World Cup in Canada, Mexico and the United States.

Phillips began his career at Blackburn before joining Tottenham in August 2023 and was on the first-team bench eight times the following season without making his Spurs debut.

He has made over 70 appearances across two spells for Championship club Stoke City.