Moyes: FA must make first move for Mikel Arteta

David Moyes has urged Fabio Capello to put up or shut up about making Mikel Arteta an honorary ­Englishman.

The Everton boss insists it is up to the FA and Capello to make the first move if they want Spanish ­midfielder Arteta to use FIFA regulations to make himself eligible to play for the Three Lions.

Arteta has found it ­impossible to break into the Spain team and can switch his allegiance to England after spending five years in the Premier League.

And Moyes thinks the prospect of representing England in a major tournament could tempt 28-year-old Arteta to turn his back on the world champions.

Moyes said: “If England want Mikel they should come out and ask him now.

“Listen, the boy is ­Spanish, there’s no getting around that, but the regulations mean he can play for ­England.

“If Fabio Capello or the FA asked Mikel to consider playing for England then he would have a big decision to make. It isn’t a decision that Mikel Arteta can make before he is asked.

“He can’t suddenly turn around and say, ‘Right, I am now English’ because if England don’t select him he’d be left high and dry. It can’t be a ­cop-out by the FA.

“If they want him they have to come out and say it. If they don’t, no problem.”

San Sebastian-born Arteta was on the cusp of breaking into Spain’s squad two years ago, only for a serious knee injury to intervene.

With Capello desperate to add some midfield artistry to his squad, there have been calls for the Italian to ask Arteta to make history.

Moyes remembers how desperate he once was to play for Scotland – and revealed how he once asked to be considered for Northern Ireland when his path to represent the Tartan Army was blocked.

He said: “I was ­desperate to play for ­cotland. I was involved with the schoolboys and youth teams, but when it came to the seniors we had some great centre-halves.

“There was David Neary, Alan Hansen, Alex McLeish, Gordon McQueen and ­Willie Miller.

“Because my mother was born in Northern Ireland I wrote to Northern Ireland manager Brian Hamilton to tell him I was eligible.

“I would have played for them. I wanted to play ­international football, to play in the big stadiums around the world – even though I am Scottish.

“Mikel could arguably play in a European ­Championship or World Cup for England.

“So if he was given the ­opportunity I think he’d be tempted by it.”