MK Dons star at centre of international tug-of-war between Denmark and England

Milton Keynes' Dons midfielder Matt O'Riley is at the centre of an international tug of war.

The League One schemer is being closely watched by the Danish FA, according to a report in the Sun.

The 21-year-old is eligible to play for the Scandinavian country from his mum's side and he can speak fluent Danish. He is also said to be eligible to represent Norway.

O'Riley has won a host of admirers this season thanks to some impressive performances with the Dons. He also picked up an individual gong, winning the EFL Young Player of the Month award for November.

He has scored six goals in 27 games for Liam Manning's side and has contributed to them being on the cusp of the play-offs.

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The report adds that O'Riley would be interested in representing either Denmark, Norway or England should any nation show interest.

A possible call-up to Lee Carsley's England under-21s has been mooted and it is thought the former Fulham man is on the radar.

He came through the ranks at Fulham but was restricted to a handful of cup appearances and a solitary Championship outing before being released by the Cottagers in the summer of 2020.

He then spent six months on the sidelines, and trained with MK before signing terms with the club.

In that time he has lit up the third tier and it is no surprise to see him linked with a move to the Championship this month.

Bournemouth and Middlesbrough are among the teams reportedly keen on him whilst a move to Swansea has also been mooted.

That is understandable given Russell Martin was the man who signed him for MK before leaving for South Wales in the summer.

Despite all the transfer noise, O'Riley remains thankful that the Dons took a chance on him 12 months ago.

"It feels like a long time, but it has also gone very quickly," he reflected.

"I've enjoyed every minute of being here. If I look back on it, it's the best decision I've made in my career.

"Some people told me it was a risk but I had to do what was right for me, and I haven't really looked back since.

"I'm in a good place, I'm playing at a consistent level, I try and train as best I can all the time. That comes with playing more games, and I've developed confidence. I just have to keep doing what I'm doing."

Regarding the gossip and rumours of a move, he added: "I'll let people say what they want to say, whether it's good or bad.

"Even when it's not transfer news, there is always someone saying something - that's just football and the industry we're in.

"We have to deal with that noise, but as you get older and play more games, you learn to deal with it in a more controlled way which is better for your mental health."