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Gareth Southgate will name his initial picks for Euro 2024 today at 1pm BST, as England prepare for two final warm-up games before the tournament in Germany.
Southgate will name a “training squad”, with several more than the allotted 26 players included, ahead of friendly matches with Bosnia and Herzegovina at St James’ Park on 3 June and Iceland at Wembley on 7 June. The England manager will then finalise his Euros squad with an announcement on Saturday 8 June, six days before the tournament begins.
England have plenty of talent to call upon, particularly in attack following stellar seasons by Phil Foden, Cole Palmer, Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham and Bukayo Saka. But there are a raft of injuries in defence and a number of decisions to be made about former favourites out of form like Jordan Henderson, Marcus Rashford, Jack Grealish and Kalvin Phillips. There are also plenty of inexperienced players knocking on the door such as Newcastle’s Anthony Gordon, Everton’s Jarrad Branthwaite and Crystal Palace duo Eberechi Eze and Adam Wharton.
Follow the latest updates and reaction to the England squad announcement below.
Who’s on the plane, who’s in contention and who will miss out?
On the plane
Kyle Walker
Experience, recovery pace and an ability to play on the right of a back three all make the Manchester City captain an essential part of Southgate’s plans. Only Kane and Harry Maguire have won more than Walker’s 61 caps since the manager took charge in 2016.
Trent Alexander-Arnold
Alexander-Arnold has struggled to get games for England at right-back, but a switch into midfield has seen him more involved for his country. The Liverpool vice-captain offers unique creativity as well as pinpoint set-piece delivery and could be an option alongside Rice as a deep-lying midfielder.
Jude Bellingham
The 20-year-old has quickly elevated himself to be one of England’s essential players. He is consistently producing outstanding performances both for his country and his club, Real Madrid, racking up goals and assists after driving runs from midfield. Southgate likes to use Bellingham as a No 10 playing off Harry Kane, but an abundance of attacking talent could see him deployed in a deeper role at the Euros.
Harry Maguire
The Manchester United defender is one of Southgate’s most trusted players and he remains the most likely partner for Stones at Euro 2024, in what will be their fourth tournament together. A lack of playing time for his club had brought scepticism from fans and the media about his role this summer, but Maguire re-established himself in Erik ten Hag’s first team.
Bukayo Saka
Saka is fast becoming a senior England player despite being only 22, and is set for a key role at Euro 2024. He has produced another excellent season for Arsenal, with 20 goals and 14 assists from 47 games, and Saka will be first choice on England’s right wing in Germany.
Who’s on the plane, who’s in contention and who will miss out?
On the plane
Harry Kane
England’s captain remains their talisman on the pitch, both with his leadership and with his goals as he continues to add to his record tally in his debut season at Bayern Munich. The 30-year-old has recovered well after an ankle injury ruled him out of the March internationals, although a trophyless debut season in Germany was a disappointment.
Jordan Pickford
The Everton goalkeeper has been England’s No 1 for a long time and that position is safe – despite a poor error in the March friendly against Belgium – particularly given the way his closest challenger, Aaron Ramsdale, was usurped by David Raya at Arsenal this season.
John Stones
The Manchester City defender has been a stalwart for Southgate over the years, integral to deep runs at the 2018 World Cup and the last Euros, and the lack of centre-back alternatives only strengthens his position in the squad. Stones has struggled for fitness at times, but finished the season on the City bench and still has time to sharpen up before the tournament.
Declan Rice
Rice has been one of Arsenal’s outstanding players this season, and his importance at international level has grown immeasurably over the past few years to the point where he is crucial to how England play. After Kane, Rice is arguably England’s hardest player to replace.
Phil Foden
Foden enjoyed his best season yet in a Manchester City shirt, becoming a talisman for the club that delivers time and again. He will be 24 when the Euros come around and is increasingly essential to Pep Guardiola’s City team, as well as England. His velcro control is unique in the national squad and Southgate’s only conundrum is where to fit Foden’s attacking talents into a team containing Bellingham, Saka and more.
When is England’s Euro 2024 squad announcement?
The England Euro 2024 squad will be announced on Tuesday 21 May at 1pm BST.
This will only be a preliminary squad leaving Gareth Southgate with a bit of time to decide who is fit and who is firing before the tournament itself.
England’s first game at Euro 2024 is against Serbia on June 16 but they play two friendlies against Bosnia and Herzegovina on June 3 and Iceland on June 7 as warm-up matches.
Uefa have mandated a deadline of June 7 for teams to name their final squads.
Uefa increases squad sizes to 26
Uefa confirmed its decision to stick with the increased squad size of 26 players for this summer’s tournament.
They released a statement earlier in the year that read: “The Uefa executive committee has today decided to increase the maximum squad size of the teams participating in the upcoming Euro 2024 from the original quota of 23 to 26 players.
“The increase does not represent an obligation for the participating national associations.
“In accordance with the competition regulations, teams must provide Uefa with a list containing a minimum of 23 players and a maximum of 26 by the deadline of June 7.”
England and Scotland given Euro 2024 boost as UEFA confirms 26-player squads
Countries competing at this summer’s European Championship will be allowed to name 26-player squads, UEFA has confirmed.
England boss Gareth Southgate, Scotland manager Steve Clarke and their continental counterparts had been preparing to return to 23-man squads for the tournament in Germany, after being allowed expanded groups at Euro 2020 to help cope with the knock-on impact of the coronavirus pandemic.
The 2022 World Cup also featured 26-man squads due to it taking place in the winter.
Luke Shaw set to be included in England training squad despite injury
England boss Gareth Southgate will include several players who are injury doubts when he names a training squad ahead of Euro 2024 on Tuesday.
Southgate adopted a similar strategy three years ago ahead of the last European Championship when he called up a 33-man squad before it was whittled down to 26 on the eve of the finals.
A group of around 30 players will be selected on Tuesday and Manchester United defender Luke Shaw is set to get the nod despite his ongoing injury issues, the PA news agency understands.
Shaw has not played for Manchester United since February due to a muscle problem and last week Erik ten Hag admitted the left-back was a major doubt to feature in Saturday’s FA Cup final.
Good morning!
Hello all and welcome to The Independent’s coverage of today’s England squad announcement.
Gareth Southgate will be revealing who has made the cut this afternoon but we’re going to enjoy a bit of speculation until then to see who has or has not made a claim for Euro 2024.
The tournament kicks off next month and England are one of the favourites to lift the trophy in Germany but which players are in contention to make the plane?
Stick around for all the latest updates throughout the day.
Source: independent.co.uk
