Manchester United’s James Overy, QPR’s Jaylan Pearman named in Australia squad for under-23 Asian Cup

Overseas-based Perth products James Overy and Jaylan Pearman are headed to Saudi Arabia, with the pair named in the Australian squad for the under-23 Asian Cup. And they will be joined by a pair of Perth Glory players, with Kaelen Majekodunmi and Nathanael Blair also named in coach Tony Vidmar’s 23-man squad. There is a healthy mix of overseas and local players named in the Australian side who will kick off their campaign against Thailand on January 8. Chief among the overseas players is Overy, who turned 18 years-old during his maiden call-up to the senior team — despite the Manchester United academy player not yet having played a match beyond junior level. Queens Park Rangers midfielder Pearman, who was named Perth Glory’s young player of the year last season, made his first-team debut in the League Cup earlier this year, but has been limited to appearances in their development squad since. Interestingly, the Australian squad does not include Pearman’s QPR teammate and fellow former Glory young gun Daniel Bennie, who is yet to see first-team minutes this season but has been on the bench in three of their past four games. Majekodunmi and Blair have struggled for game time at Glory this season; Majekodunmi has not featured since pre-season and has found his path to first-team football blocked by the form of Scott Wootton and Brian Kaltak, while Blair is also yet to play. Forward Jed Drew, who started the season promisingly in the Austrian Bundesliga, and Brondby winger Marcus Younis are the other big overseas-based names in the squad. Australia have been drawn alongside Thailand, China and Iraq and will be looking to emulate their under-20’s side, who won their respective tournament last year.