Northern Ireland manager Michael O'Neill said it "would certainly be nice" for the injured Conor Bradley to still be a part of the squad for their 2026 World Cup play-off against Italy in March.
O'Neill's side face the four-time world champions in the semi-finals on 26 March and, if they can overcome Gennaro Gattuso's side in Bergamo, would play Wales or Bosnia-Herzegovina for a place at the tournament this summer.
They will, however, be without Bradley for the game with the Liverpool right-back to miss the rest of the campaign after undergoing surgery on the knee injury he sustained in Liverpool's 0-0 draw at Arsenal this month.