article: Jack Grealish will decide his international future at the end of the season after overtures from Republic of Ireland and England. The situation is described as 50/50 at this stage, with the 19-year-old having taken time out from national duty seven months ago. Grealish has met Ireland manager Martin O’Neill and held a friendly chat with Roy Keane after winning the country’s Under-21 player of the year award in Dublin last month. Jack Grealish put in a dazzling performance as Aston Villa beat Liverpool in an FA Cup semi-final on Sunday . Grealish has played for the Republic of Ireland's youth teams but England will hope to turn his head . Jack Grealish could end up playing for Republic of Ireland against England in June... but would still be able to switch allegiance to line up for the Three Lions afterwards. That is due to a FIFA ruling stating friendly match appearances do not commit a player to one country. High-profile examples of the clause being used are Diego Costa, who played two friendlies for Brazil before choosing Spain, Jermaine Jones switching from Germany to the USA, while Thiago Motta had three caps for Brazil and now represents Italy. Gareth Southgate made contact about a year ago and last October made public his desires to include Grealish in his England Under-21 side. Formal discussions with all parties are planned once Aston Villa’s season is completed, after the FA Cup final on May 30, suggesting the friendly between Ireland and England at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin on June 7 may come too soon, should O’Neill wish to fast-track Grealish into his senior side. O’Neill offered Grealish the chance to train with the first-team at the start of this season but the Villa academy graduate wished to concentrate on preforming for his club and sorting his new contract. Grealish’s last international appearance came for Ireland’s Under-21s on September 5 in a 2-0 loss to Germany in Halle. The following month he withdrew from Noel King’s squad to play in a Villa first-team friendly and continue contract negotiations. Grealish did join up with an England youth team when he was 14, but, Sportsmail can reveal, he was sent home after falling ill and fainting. Ireland became aware of his heritage – his father Kevin’s parents are from Kerry and Galway – after scout Mark O’ Toole, based in London, spotted him playing at the Nike Premier Cup. England have monitored Grealish’s situation throughout the past four years and former Under-19s coach Noel Blake, along with ex Villa player Kenny Swain, made contact when he was 17. But King offered Grealish the chance to play for the Under-21s, and he made his debut at that level in August 2013. He has had an Irish as well as British passport for a number of years. Villa have had a strong connection with the Republic over the years and that was strengthened during Keane’s spell as assistant manager to Paul Lambert. Keane, who quit Villa at the end of last year, is also assistant to O'Neill at senior level. Before the FA Cup semi-final Shay Given said he had spoken to Grealish about the issue and suggested he was ready for first-team action. Grealish celebrates with Fabian Delph (left) and Gabby Agbonlahor (right) after the game at Wembeley . The youngster has met Republic of Ireland manager Martin O'Neill and could play this summer . Grealish takes on Emre Can at Wembley during the impressive 2-1 victory on Sunday . ‘I was just joking that he’s taken a year out like a student or something,’ he said. ‘He should really be involved in the first team squad at the minute with Ireland I think. He is a young guy, you don’t want to rush him into these decisions. But in an ideal world we’d love him to play for us.’ England have been watching Grealish and it is believed a number of attempts have been made to persuade the rising Villa forward that his future is with England. But with Raheem Sterling, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Ross Barkley among the young players in Roy Hodgson’s senior squad standing in his way, it is a difficult pitch. In October Southgate said: ‘Jack is somebody we have spoken to over the years, him and his family. He has been in our younger development teams. ‘Up to this point they have preferred to remain with Ireland. These things are quite fluid at younger ages. You are allowed to switch once when you are a young player and Jack is someone we are monitoring and we’ll keep our eye on that situation.’ The internal debate for Grealish is that he has been treated very well by Ireland over the years and feels loyalty, but was born in Birmingham to English parents. He has only made a handful of appearances for Villa, but his career has taken a massive uplift since the arrival of new manager Tim Sherwood in February.
highlights: Jack Grealish impressed as Aston Villa beat Liverpool 2-1 on Sunday .
  Grealish is a Republic of Ireland youth player and has met Martin O'Neill .
  England are monitoring his progress and hope to persuade him .
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