Ellis Simms is reportedly on the verge of pledging his alliance to Poland, which could open the door for a shock international call-up.
Poland failed to qualify for the 2026 World Cup when falling to a 3-2 defeat against Sweden in the play-off final in March, denying all-time great Robert Lewandowski the chance to play on the main stage one last time.
While the former Bayern Munich and Barcelona man has not announced his retirement from international football, the striker is 38 years old and manager Jan Urban will soon be seeking alternative options in the centre forward department in the not-too-distant future.
Poland are not blessed with a plethora of elite strikers, but they could soon be aided by the unlikeliest of additions.
As per reports, Coventry City striker Ellis Simms has applied for a Polish passport and could soon be eligible to represent the national team.
The 25-year-old was born in Oldham, Greater Manchester and has represented England U20s in an unofficial friendly match, but he has Polish roots on his mother's side of the family, with his grandmother having been born in Poland.
The Polish Football Association have reportedly been tracking Simms' situation for a number of years, and national team director Adrian Mierzejewski shed light on the state of affairs.
He said: “We’ve checked the situation. Ellis has Polish roots, has already submitted documents to the consulate, and is waiting for a Polish passport. We’re open to this solution but we’re calmly awaiting developments.”
It's been reported that Spanish coach Kibu Vicuna -- who has joined Urban’s coaching staff at Poland -- has made the trip to England to keep tabs on Simms, who so far has not made a sizeable impact upon Coventry's return to the Premier League.
The centre forward completed the permanent switch from Everton to the Sky Blues in 2023, and he's proven a reliable source of goals for the West Midlands outfit.
He most notably found the net on 13 occasions in Coventry's Championship-winning 2025/26 term, but he's failed to establish himself as a regular starter under the stewardship of Frank Lampard in the top-flight.
The prospect of senior international football may give Simms extra motivation to reclaim his starting spot at club level, with summer arrival Taiwo Awoniyi his main competitor in the position.
