Eoin Toal has been forced to pull out of the Northern Ireland squad with an ankle injury.

The centre-back had been training with the squad at Champneys Springs in Leicestershire in the hope of being picked for the upcoming Euro 2024 qualifiers against Denmark and Kazakhstan.

But after complaining of pain in his ankle, a scan yesterday morning has shown up an issue which means he will be unable to stay with the squad.

Sources at Wanderers say they are confident the issue is not a serious one and that hope he will be fit in time to join up with the team for pre-season fitness testing at the end of the month.

Toal missed six games after the Papa Johns Trophy final win against Plymouth Argyle because of an ankle injury but returned to play the last four games of the season, including both play-off semi-finals against Barnsley.

He had been called into Michael O’Neill’s squad for qualifiers against San Marino and Finland in March but was not capped.

Missing out this time will be especially galling for the former Derry City man, who had been looking forward to pressing his claim this summer to be part of the new manager’s plans.

Dion Charles is in the 27-man squad alongside former loanee Conor Bradley, and there is a first call-up for striker Lee Bonis, who has been strongly linked with a move to Wanderers and Derby County in recent weeks.

The Northern Ireland squad in full to face Denmark away and Kazakhstan at home.

Goalkeepers – Bailey Peacock-Farrell (Burnley), Conor Hazard (Celtic), Luke Southwood (Reading).

Defenders – Jonny Evans (Leicester City), Craig Cathcart (Watford), Jamal Lewis (Newcastle United), Ciaron Brown (Oxford United), Conor Bradley (Liverpool), Trai Hume (Sunderland), Eoin Toal (Bolton Wanderers), Aaron Donnelly (Nottingham Forest).

Midfielders – Paddy McNair (Middlesbrough), George Saville (Millwall), Jordan Thompson (Stoke City), Alistair McCann (Preston North End), Shea Charles (Manchester City), Paddy Lane (Portsmouth), Ethan Galbraith (unattached), Isaac Price (Everton), Sean Goss (unattached).

Forwards – Gavin Whyte (unattached), Shayne Lavery (Blackpool), Dion Charles (Bolton Wanderers), Conor McMenamin (Glentoran), Matthew Kennedy (Aberdeen), Dale Taylor (Nottingham Forest), Lee Bonis (Larne), Callum Marshall (West Ham United).