'Set in stone' - USMNT prospect Cole Campbell rules out Iceland switch as he waits for Mauricio Pochettino call-up

The young forward qualifies for both nations through his Icelandic mother and American father. Having initially represented Iceland at under-17 level, he switched his international allegiance to the United States youth setup before completing a €6 million (£5m/$7m) move to newly promoted Elversberg from Borussia Dortmund in July. Although technically still eligible to switch back as he awaits his senior international debut, the prospect insists his choice remains irrevocable.

The talented winger is determined to shut the door on any rival federations in order to dedicate his international career entirely to his homeland. Speaking to Bulinews and selected media on Tuesday, Campbell said: "I've already made my decision to switch to the US. It was for a lot of different reasons, but my future is with the US. That said, I have no second thoughts or anything. That's a thing for me that is set in stone."

Reflecting on his decision to swap Iceland for the United States in 2024, he added: "It was definitely the right step, and I've been incredibly happy with it since I made the switch. The support and the atmosphere around the federation have been amazing.

"The coaches I've had, the people I've had the honor of working with have been great. I think that the support and also the trust that I've felt from the federation have been great. I grew up in the US, so it's obviously an honor to represent my country.

"I'm very happy that I made the step to change from Iceland to the US. I'll not have any second thoughts or speak about different things, because that's what I want. I want to play for my country."

All eyes are now on Pochettino's squad announcement on Thursday ahead of upcoming friendlies against Peru, Chile, Canada and Mexico. Assessing his chances of a maiden call-up after maintaining dialogue with the technical staff over the past two years, he said: "I'm hoping. We will see what happens. I'm just focused on trying to perform the best that I can, and I'm praying that hopefully I get my first call-up soon.

"That would be a dream come true for me to represent my country. Hopefully, I will get the call-up. Yes, I've been in contact since the last two years. The first contact was when I was at Dortmund, and I've had on-and-off contact. Now we'll see what happens."

With one goal in four Bundesliga appearances this term, the attacker is determined to maintain his impressive domestic form to keep his club positioned near the top of the table. Vincent Wagner's side face a demanding trip to Schalke 04 on Sunday as they look to collect another crucial haul of points. A strong showing over the weekend would serve as the ideal platform to catch the eye of the national team selectors ahead of the impending international break.