James McClean could be set for a change of sport from football to boxing.
The former Premier League midfielder is now plying his trade for hometown club Derry City but is embroiled in a contract dispute with them.
Now aged 37, he has explained that doesn't fear the end of his football career because an offer has been made to step inside the boxing ring.
"It doesn't unsettle me because I've been boxing off and on for 10 years and in the past 18 months I've really thrown myself into it," he told The Guardian.
"I'm not going to start a pro boxing career because it's just not feasible at my age. But I've been in contact with Misfits and they want me to fight."
Misfits Boxing is the promotion set up by KSI alongside the Sauerlands. It has become known for staging fights for influencers, but has also become a home for veteran fighters. Notably they signed former UFC fighter Michael 'Venom' Page recently.
Ex-Republic of Ireland international McClean could be next to lace up the gloves.
"Boxing is giving me that purpose to wake up and train hard," he said.
"I'm a pressure fighter. I like to be constantly in someone's face because I've got the fitness to maintain that. I'm not saying I'm by any stretch of the imagination a [Gennady] Golovkin or a Canelo [Álvarez], but I love watching them.
"I'm not looking to have a career in boxing but three or four fights a year is perfect. The dream was always to be a footballer but this is a new excitement, a new challenge."
McClean left Wrexham for Derry City in January but hasn't played since August and is now rowing with the club over his fitness.
The Professional Football Association of Ireland (PFAI), representing McClean, said: "He has trained fully for the last nine weeks and has made himself available for selection. He recently played in an internal match arranged by the club. He believes he can help the team and has not been provided with a satisfactory reason for being left out of the squad.
"He believes that the reason for this is a dispute which first arose in early August when the chairman of the club stated that his contract had been terminated."
