Argentina want Everton's Ramiro Funes Mori to play Copa America and Olympics
Tuesday 12 April 2016 08:41, UK
Argentina have asked Everton to make Ramiro Funes Mori available for the Rio Olympics, national team coach Gerardo Martino said on Monday.
The Olympic football tournament starts on August 3, 10 days before the start of the 2016/17 Premier League season.
Premier League clubs are not obliged to release players for the Olympic tournament as the Games are not on the FIFA calendar.
"We're thinking of Ramiro Funes Mori for the Games," Martino told an Argentinian radio station.
"We still have to see if Everton agree to our request."
Funes Mori is a first-choice central defender for his country at senior level and is expected to be selected for this summer's Copa America in the United States in June.
"Let's hope we can have him for both competitions. We've already spoken with (Everton manager) Roberto Martinez and it's a possibility," Martino added.
Martino said he was considering calling up a number of other senior players for Olympic duty including Paulo Dybala of Juventus, Atletico Madrid pair Luciano Vietto and Matias Kranevitter, and Inter Milan striker Mauro Icardi.
