Wigan Athletic duo on collision course after international recognition

Wigan Athletic team-mates Charlie Hughes and Baba Adeeko are on collision course on international duty this month!

Hughes was last week named in the England Elite Development Squad - the old Under-20s - for their forthcoming fixtures against Sweden Under-21s on Friday (June 7) and the Republic of Ireland Under-21s next Tuesday (June 11).

Baba Adeeko and Charlie Hughes will go head to head next week on the international stage

placeholder image — Baba Adeeko and Charlie Hughes will go head to head next week on the international stage

Wigan Athletic youngster departs for next step in non-league football

Also in the England squad is Fulham winger Martial Godo, who endured a fine season on loan with Latics.

And Adeeko, a fellow product of the Latics Academy, has been called up by Ireland - setting up the prospect of the two going head to head on the field.

Joining him in the squad is Celtic midfielder Bosun Lawal, who spent the 2023-24 campaign on loan at Fleetwood, and has been linked with a move to Wigan next term on a similar arrangement.

Ireland also face Croatia Under-21s on Friday (June 7).

All of the fixtures will take place in Zagreb, Croatia.

England Elite Squad:

Goalkeepers: Ben Cisse (West Bromwich Albion), Tommy Setford (Ajax), Tommy Simkin (Stoke City), Jed Ward (Bristol Rovers).

Defenders: Archie Brown (K.A.A. Gent), Kaelan Casey (West Ham United), Ben Chrisene (Aston Villa), Roman Dixon (Everton), Kellen Fisher (Norwich City), Bradley Hills (Norwich City), Charlie Hughes (Wigan Athletic), Ben Nelson (Leicester City).

Midfielders: Jobe Bellingham (Sunderland), Samuel Braybrook (Leicester City), Noel Bruck (New England Revolution), George Earthy (West Ham United), Omari Kellyman (Aston Villa), Alex Matos (Chelsea).

Forwards: William Alves (Leicester City), Benico Baker-Boaiter (Brighton & Hove Albion), Bailey-Tye Cadamarteri (Sheffield Wednesday), Martial Godo (Fulham), Abu Kamara (Norwich City), Dane Scarlett (Tottenham Hotspur).

Republic of Ireland Under-21 Squad:

Goalkeepers: Tiernan Brooks (Notts County), Killian Cahill (Brighton & Hove Albion), Josh Keeley (Tottenham Hotspur).

Defenders: James Abankwah (Udinese), Sam Curtis (Sheffield United), Anselmo Garcia MacNulty (PEC Zwolle), Bosun Lawal (Celtic), Alex Murphy (Newcastle United), Connor O’Brien (Accrington Stanley), Connor O’Riordan (Blackburn Rovers), Sean Roughan (Lincoln City).

Midfielders: Baba Adeeko (Wigan Athletic), Matt Healy (Royal Francs Borains), Joe Hodge (Wolves), Andrew Moran (Brighton & Hove Albion), Conan Noonan (Shamrock Rovers), Rocco Vata (Celtic).

Forwards: Sinclair Armstrong (QPR), Aidomo Emakhu (Millwall), Calum Kavanagh (Bradford City), Johnny Kenny (Shamrock Rovers, on loan from Celtic), Mark O’Mahony (Brighton & Hove Albion), Ollie O’Neill (Leyton Orient), Armstrong Oko-Flex (FC Zurich), Tony Springett (Norwich City).