Cash hoping to play for Poland in next World Cup
Aston Villa defender Matty Cash is in the process of applying for Polish citizenship and hopes to have the paperwork completed in time to play for Paulo Sousa's national side in November.
The 24-year-old, who was born in Slough, is looking to force his way into Poland's squad for the World Cup in Qatar next year having established himself as one of the best young rightbacks in the Premier League in recent seasons.
He has Polish roots through his mother’s side, with his grandparents having emigrated to England during the Second World War. His father, Stuart Cash, told Polish news outlet SportoweFakty his application for citizenship ‘should be finished soon’.
"We are in the process of collecting the necessary papers for Matty to obtain Polish citizenship," he said.
"We started this process a few months ago, it should be finished soon. We are co-operating with the Polish branch in London on this matter.
"Matty would like to prove himself on an international level. He's been playing for the second season in the Premier League and national team appearances would be another step forward.
"If the Polish federation expresses interest, my son is open."
Cash signed for Villa before the start of last season for £16m having made more than 140 appearances for Championship side Nottingham Forest. Before that he
caught the eye of scouts at the Bisham-based FAB Academy.
Last season Cash viewed the possibility of playing for Poland as 'a nice option to have' but was focused on settling in and establishing himself as a Villa player. With Trent AlexanderArnold, Reece James, Kyle Walker and Kieran Trippier all currently ahead of him in the pecking order for England it seems he's open to proving himself on the international stage alongside the likes of Robert Lewandowski for Poland.
With the World Cup now just 14 months away, Cash is keen to give himself every possible chance of forcing his way into Sousa's plans. It could still be some weeks before the paperwork is processed meaning Cash is more likely to be eligible for Poland’s final qualifiers against Andorra on November 12 and Hungary on November 15.