Northern Ireland boss drops Stuart Dallas fitness update as Leeds United man ruled out

Northern Ireland manager Michael O'Neill has ruled out the possibility of welcoming Stuart Dallas back into his squad next month. O'Neill's side are due to take on Romania and Scotland in friendlies, but the Leeds United man will have to wait until the summer at the very least to make his return to international football.

Dallas has spent almost two years on the sidelines at Elland Road after fracturing his femur while playing against Manchester City in April 2022. The 32-year-old has been involved in training since and the hope is that he will be able to step up his recovery before too long and pull on the white of Leeds once more.

A return date remains unknown with Daniel Farke being careful not to put pressure on the utility man, but O'Neill has confirmed he won't be representing his country at the end of March.

“That would be a stretch," the manager told the Belfast Telegraph when asked about the possibility of seeing Dallas or Sunderland's Corry Evans involved. "Neither player is close to their first team at this minute in time and we are coming up to the midway point in February, so I think it would be a tough challenge for both boys.

“It's not that important that they are back for March. The most important thing is that they are fit and back playing for their clubs because obviously we know when they do that they will be back playing for us.

“Both Stuart and Corry are with their clubs and they are not back in terms of full training or back in their matchday squads and we just have to be patient with that and hopefully they will be fit sooner rather than later.”

Dallas has amassed 62 appearances for his country but his last appearance for the Green and White Army came in March 2022, stepping off the bench in a friendly against Hungary in Belfast.