Ghana facing nationality switch problems for Leicester City starlet Joe Dodoo

Ghana have been dealt a major blow in their quest to cap Leicester City's promising forward Joe Dodoo as the West African giants must go through FIFA's procedural nationality switch before the Kumasi-born can feature for the Black Stars.

Dodoo was born in Kumasi to Ghanaian parents but migrated to the United Kingdom and has featured once for the English U18 side. In March 2013, Dodoo was called up to the England under-18 team and played in a match against Belgium.

Ghana coach Avram Grant met the 20-year-old in April with Leicester confirming the Israeli gaffer had handed an invitation to the striker for the next month's 2017 AFCON qualifying clash with Mauritius.

Dodoo marked his Leicester City senior debut in the recently ended season by bagging a stunning hat-trick against Bury in the English League Cup last August.

Reports from England suggested Three Lions coach Roy Hodgson was keen to lure the young forward, who broke into the Foxes first team squad in the title-winning season, to pledge his future to England.

But Ghana, who lost striker Danny Welbeck to the European giants four years ago, are keen to win the battle to get the young forward to commit his international future to the country of his birth.

Ghana must now go through FIFA's process of nationality switch to make the forward eligible to play for the 2014 FIFA World Cup campaigners.

But per FIFA's national switch requirement's Dodoo must activate the process by officially notifying the world football governing body of his decision to switch his nationality to Ghana.

By El Akyereko
Follow the writer on Twitter: @AkyerekOfficial