By Peter Jegwa Kumwenda in Lilongwe

Malawi plan to pursue teenage defender Tamika Mkandawire, who plays in the English Premiership, in the hope he may want to play for the country's national team.

Malawi coach Kim Splidsboel said he plans to contact the teenager, who plays for the newly-promoted Premiership side West Bromwich Albion.

"You can not play in the English premiership if you are not good, so I am certain he is a good player," said Splidsboel.

"Assuming he has not been capped at junior level by England, then I will try to contact him to see if he would be interested in playing for the Malawi national team."

Citizenship issue

But any plan to lure the teenager back to Malawi could well be thwarted by the country's strict immigration laws.

It is illegal to hold dual citizenship in Malawi which would mean Mkandawire would have to relinquish his English citizenship to play for his country of birth.

That would mean he would have to then apply for a work permit to continue playing in England.

George Kaudza Masina of the Malawi FA admitted it could be a problem but it was too soon to know that.

"We have not spoken to the player yet. We don't know that he has English citizenship but we will not fail even before we attempt to talk to him," he said.

Masina said the football association would support the national coach in making all necessary moves to try and get Mkandawire to play for Malawi.

"We all want the Flames to be strong, so if there are players we need to get to help our cause, why not get them?" he said.

Malawi's Weekend Nation newspaper ran a story on Mkandawire on Saturday, explaining that he was born in Malawi to a Malawian father and English mother but left the impoverished southern African country for England when he was a toddler.

Mkandawire played for the West Brom reserve side last season and has recently been promoted into the first team.