Blues left-back Jonas Knudsen looks set to spend the international break in Suffolk rather than away with the Denmark squad due to a dispute between the Danish players and their FA, the DBU.

The squad and the DBU have been at loggerheads for some months regarding a new commercial rights agreement and a number of other terms.

The players were given a deadline of Sunday evening to agree a new deal but refused, instead offering to play Wednesday’s friendly in Slovakia and the UEFA Nations League match against Wales at the Aarhus Stadion next Sunday under the terms of a previous agreement.

However, the DBU rebuffed that offer and took the rejection of the new deal as confirmation that the 23 players - including Knudsen - selected by manager Ã…ge Hareide wouldn’t play the fixtures.

They have now written to players in the Danish domestic Superliga via their clubs asking their availability for the games so as to avoid facing UEFA action for not fulfilling the fixtures.

In addition, Hareide and his assistant Jon Dahl Tomasson will not be in charge for the two matches.

Knudsen has won four full caps for Denmark, the most recent in the World Cup round-of-16 defeat to eventual finalists Croatia.

Among those who will be away during the international break are returning loanee Jon Walters, whose Republic of Ireland side face Wales in Cardiff in their first UEFA Nations League game on Thursday and Poland - who haven’t included Bartosz Bialkowski in their squad - in a friendly in Wroclaw a week on Tuesday.

Trevoh Chalobah is with the England U20s for friendlies against Switzerland at St George’s Park on Thursday and Holland in Katwijk four days later, while academy right-back Dylan Crowe is with the England U18s for the Limoges Tournament in France.

Photo: Action Images

CavendishBlue added 10:40 - Sep 3 It'll give him time to practice those long throws. Only another 292 until he provides the assist that we've all been waiting for....
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GluedtoBlue added 11:29 - Sep 3 Haven't we scored from one of his throws this season? Albeit it perhaps not directly.
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GluedtoBlue added 11:29 - Sep 3 Haven't we scored from one of his throws this season? Albeit it perhaps not directly.
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Pilgrimblue added 12:47 - Sep 3 One of many tactical flaws for PH to sort during the break. All his throws should either be outside the 6 yard box or to a player, too many reach the keeper (pointless!). Hopefully corners should be looked at as too high on the whole. Short one yesterday nearly paid off except Graham messed up.
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C_Thomsen added 15:14 - Sep 3 Who wouldn't want to represent their country over money... Shows where footballers minds - even for smaller nations like ours (Danish yes) - are at these days...
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carsey added 17:18 - Sep 3 I agree with you Pilgrimblue - our corners and free kicks into the box are awful but this has been the case for a long time now. I was watching some old footage from Ipswich Town - Manchester United 6 - 0 (1979 - 80) and that is how players should attack corners and free kicks. See 5 min in and how Beattie attacks the ball
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brian_a_mul added 23:17 - Sep 3 No harm tbh, Jonas missed preseason and can spend quality time bonding with the squad and his family :)
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