Manchester United‘s 18-year-old right-back, James Overy, has received his first call-up to the Australian national team for upcoming friendlies against Venezuela and Colombia in the United States. The uncapped defender, who joined United last summer, was playing in the 10th tier of English football just last year for Newton Abbot Spurs’ first team in the South West Peninsula League.
Overy’s inclusion in the squad comes after his performance for Australia at the Under-20 World Cup in Chile last month, despite the team failing to advance from the group stage. Australia manager Tony Popovic stated, “He’s worth having a look at,” adding, “Watching him closely in chile, I was impressed.” Popovic also noted the strong interaction between his staff and Manchester United, saying, “We have good contacts at Manchester United, so we certainly know what he’s doing at training…He’s in the process where he’s getting called up (to first-team training) a lot more frequently enough.”
Originally from Perth Glory’s academy, Overy moved to devon in 2023. he has featured for Manchester United’s Under-18 and Under-21 teams, including appearances against senior opposition in National League Cup ties against Tamworth and Rochdale. A previous Achilles tendon injury briefly hindered his progress.
Overy is known for his pace, ability to support central defenders, and forward runs. He is one of seven uncapped players in the Australia squad as Popovic prepares for next summer’s World Cup – Australia’s sixth consecutive and seventh overall qualification. The defender is also eligible to represent Scotland, having played for their Under-19 team.
Remarkably, overy could earn his senior international debut before making a first-team appearance for Manchester United, a situation shared by fellow uncapped players diego Leon (Paraguay) and James Scanlon (Gibraltar) within the australia squad.
