By Josh O'Brien
Luke Littler has admitted he will "100 per cent" play in this year's Soccer Aid if he gets the invite, despite concerns over his already hectic schedule.
The 17-year-old has made no secret of his love of football and is a passionate Manchester United fan. He has previously explained that his dad convinced him to ditch the sport and favour darts, which has since proved to be an inspired decision.
Following his historic run to the PDC World Championship final earlier this year when he was just 16 years old, Littler is now a household name. Though he came up short on the night against Luke Humphries, he has since bagged other titles and beaten some of the sport's biggest names.
However, Littler's love of football means he still can't turn down the chance for a good kickabout. This year's Soccer Aid, an annual charity match which sees a mix of famous faces and ex-football talents compete in an England vs World XI clash, takes place on June 9 at Stamford Bridge.
Littler is expected to be the other side of the Atlantic just one week before as he contests the US Darts Masters at Madison Square Garden in New York. He has already pulled out of the Nordic Masters the weekend after, citing "family reasons" as the explanation behind his absence.
This could present Littler with the chance to play some part in Soccer Aid. While speaking on JackMaate's Happy Hour podcast, the darts sensation was pressed for comment on whether he'd accept the invite if it comes.
"100 per cent," Littler replied. "I’ve seen they have only got about 10 people down, so if they are watching – get me in. I’m definitely not playing in goal if I play for Soccer Aid. Up front."
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If he does get the call-up, he'll be lining up for England under the guidance of Frank Lampard, Harry Redknapp and Robbie Williams. There are fears Littler is biting off more than he can chew when it comes to his schedule, but his manager has tried to ease those concerns.
Martin Foulds claimed: "There's no off-season in darts. You've got to travel to these events - you don't just time-warp and you're in Belfast, Graz, Munich, Rotterdam.
"It's unsustainable for any player to travel and play all of those events. When you're playing in the Premier League especially, travelling can take its toll on anybody.
"He's still a teenager, still 17 - if he wasn't playing darts, he's be doing an apprenticeship or still be in school. So there are duties of care we have to follow to look after Luke as best as we can."