Ipswich Town midfielder Alan Judge has been named in the provisional Republic of Ireland squad for two games later this month.
Judge, who joined the Blues from Brentford in January, has been called-up by former Ipswich boss Mick McCarthy for the European Championships qualifying games against Gibraltar and Georgia.
McCarthy’s side face Gibraltar away on Saturday March 23, then host Georgia in Dublin three days later.
The former Blues boss was at Portman Road to watch his old side’s 1-1 draws with Derby and Stoke in February, where he was also watching striker Will Keane before his current hamstring injury ruled him out of contention.
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Judge has previously won five Ireland caps and has scored one international goal.
There is an option in Judge’s contract to extend his current deal for next season, with the midfielder recently saying it was ‘more in the club’s favour... a bit of both actually’, with Blues boss Paul Lambert agreeing that was a good description of the situation.
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Speaking in an interview for match day programme for last weekend’s game with Reading, Judge said: “Hopefully we will start talking over the next few weeks and we will see where it goes.
“I am really enjoying my football. I am playing in the position where I want to play. There are so many things that come into play when thinking about the future.”
McCarthy has also called up former Ipswich Town striker David McGoldrick, now of Sheffield United.
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