The Manchester City teenager Bersant Celina committed his international future to Kosovo after Norway were not prepared to guarantee him first-team football, according to the Norwegian FA.

Celina, 19, who made his Premier League debut against Leicester City on Saturday, last month pledged his future to Kosovo, where he was born, over Norway, where he moved with his family at the age of two.

The midfielder, who signed a two-year scholarship with Manchester City’s academy at the age of 15, played for Norway at under-15, under-16, under-17 and under-21 level – and made an appearance for Kosovo’s full national team in 2014.

According to Norway’s FA, as quoted by the newspaper VG, Celina and his father Eduar made the decision to commit his future to Kosovo only after Norway refused to agree to their demands for playing time.

Yngve Haavik, a spokesman for the FA, told VG: “What we can say is that it almost became something like a negotiation regarding playing time and we can’t operate that way. There is no doubt that we wanted Celina to play for Norway, but that desire has to be mutual, and there can’t be any conditions on playing time.

“It is the national coach who has to decide every time who starts the game and who comes on. I think everyone realises that.”

Eduar Celina told the paper his son could not make a difference unless he was playing regularly. “Bersant was willing to play and make his contribution to the Norwegian country and the national team,” he said.

“But he could not do that by sitting in the stands or by playing just three minutes. We will cheer on the national team, though, and wish them all the best.”