Michael O'Neill admits moving to the League of Ireland "doesn't strengthen the case" of players like Liam Boyce and Gavin Whyte returning to the Northern Ireland fold anytime soon.
The pair joined Shane Ferguson in moving to Derry City in January following spells across the water.
Boyce was recently with Hearts in the Scottish Premiership, while Whyte had been without a club since leaving Portsmouth last summer.
Former Crusaders winger Whyte last featured for Northern Ireland in the 2024 European qualifiers two years ago, while Boyce won the last of his 28 caps in 2021. Ferguson's last international involvement was in May 2023.
O'Neill says he will continue monitoring the domestic leagues, but says there are other players "playing at a higher level" right now.
He said: "I don't think it strengthens their case, if I am being honest. I have to be honest.
"I do keep an eye on that. Liam had a difficult time at Hearts. But we have four strikers there who are young and have a lot to prove.
"Like anything in football, life moves on. That's the reality of it.
"I would never say I would never pick a player from the League of Ireland or the Irish League. But at this moment in time the 25 players we have here, and the ones we have left out, are playing at a higher level."
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O'Neill believes Whyte in particular has the "potential to play at a good level", but accepts a number of reasons can go into a player's decision to return to leave full-time football across the water.
“It’s difficult because players make decisions for different reasons and reading what he’s said and having spoken to him on occasions, I think Gavin found it difficult in the UK, living away from Northern Ireland and he’s never going to play his best football in that sort of situation," O'Neill said.
“But certainly, Gavin showed us from his time from Oxford to Cardiff and I look back on some of his international performances, I look back to how he played down in Dublin in the friendly and how he played in Prague, he was excellent up front with Liam Boyce.
“Gavin has the ability and potential to play at a good level and he’s already shown that, but he may be happier playing where he is now."
Meanwhile, Northern Ireland have called up 20-year-old striker Jamie Donley for the first time. The Tottenham Hotspur striker, currently on loan at EFL League One side Leyton Orient, has previously played for both Northern Ireland and England at youth level.
Donley hails from Antrim but brought up in England. His dad is originally from Northern Ireland, while his mum is English. He played for England at U15, U16, U17, U18 and U19 level, while he has also previously played for Northern Ireland at U15, U16 and U19 level.
Defender Eoin Toal has been ruled out of the March friendlies against Switzerland and Sweden with injury and is replaced by Motherwell's Kofi Balmer.
O’Neill added: “We are naturally disappointed for Eoin to withdraw so early on in the camp, however I am confident that Kofi can come in and make an impact.
“We’re also pleased to welcome Jamie into the squad. He is a young player that we have been tracking for some time.
“We are waiting on the relevant paperwork from FIFA to be processed before we can determine whether he plays an active role in any of the games, but having him in and around the place to familiarise himself with the place and stuff I felt was important.”
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