England squad LIVE: Anthony Gordon called up as Kalvin Phillips dropped before Euro 2024
England will face Brazil and Belgium at Wembley as Southgate moves a step closer to naming his Euro 2024 squad
England manager Gareth Southgate moved a step closer to finalising his Euro 2024 plans as he named his latest squad ahead of friendly matches against Brazil and Belgium later this month.
Southgate brings in Jarrad Branthwaite and Anthony Gordon for their first senior call ups, and recalls Joe Gomez and Ivan Toney to the squad after spells away. Gomez, who won the last of his 11 senior caps in October 2020, has returned from the international wilderness for these Wembley friendlies. Toney is back involved at the first opportunity after serving an eight-month Football Association betting ban.
Cole Palmer also makes the squad as he hopes to add to his two England caps. Jordan Henderson retains his place in the group but there is no spot for Kalvin Phillips, who is struggling to make an impact on loan at West Ham after a long time marginalised at Manchester City. Raheem Sterling was conspicuous by his absence once again, and Southgate revealed Arsenal’s Ben White has made himself unavailable for England selection.
The March international break represents a final chance to experiment and try out some new faces.
Follow live updates from the announcement, below:
Confirmed 25-player England squad
Here is another look at the England squad for the upcoming friendlies against Brazil and Belgium.
Goalkeepers: Pickford, Ramsdale, Johnstone.
Defenders: Branthwaite, Chilwell, Dunk, Gomez, Konsa, Maguire, Stones, Walker.
Midfielders: Rice, Henderson, Gallagher, Maddison, Bellingham.
Forwards: Bowen, Foden, Gordon, Kane, Palmer, Rashford, Saka, Toney, Watkins.
England’s injuries present a challenge
That stance by Southgate will leave all England’s current injured players feeling a little more tense about their situation.
Reece James, for example, seems unlikely to be selected, even if he returns for Chelsea before the end of the season, given just how hard he finds it to stay fit. Southgate has said he wants reliability and proven form and fitness, where possible.
Jack Grealish’s return date remains unknown, and he might be starting to get nervous about his place at the Euros, given he has recently received the Kalvin Phillips treatment from Pep Guardiola with limited chances to play for Manchester City this year.
Kieran Trippier and Trent Alexander-Arnold are expected to return soon after the international break, but Marc Guehi is another whose exact return remains unknown.
And of course there are bound to be more injuries between now and June...
Southgate admits injured Luke Shaw is ‘touch and go’ for Euros
Gareth Southgate had some interesting things to say about Luke Shaw, who is sidelined with an injury until May. The manager has previously said he would be reluctant to take half-fit players to the Euros, particularly given the smaller squad size this time around (reduced from 26 players at the Qatar World Cup back down to 23), and he seemed to reiterate that point here.
When asked whether Shaw was “touch and go” for the summer, Southgate told Radio 5 Live: “Well, we’d have to say yes is the answer to that because the timelines would suggest he’ll only be available in the dying embers of the season. You don’t know what version of the player you’re going to get.
“We might have everybody that’s currently injured back and available, but how fit and how match fit and how robust [they are] to get through a tournament, we’re going to have to work that out as well in the next few months.”
When will the final squad be announced?
The Premier League concludes on 19 May, and England’s training squad will be announced two days later, likely to comprise of 26 players or more as Gareth Southgate considers his final choices.
England play their first of two warm-up games before the Euros against Bosnia on Monday 3 June. That is only two days after the Champions League final, meaning Manchester City or Arsenal players who make the final will likely be given a period of rest before joining up with the camp.
The final 23-man squad will be named on Saturday 8 June.
Key dates before Euro 2024:
Tuesday 21 May – Training squad announcement at St George’s Park
Monday 3 June – England v Bosnia & Herzegovina, St James’ Park, KO 7.45pm
Friday 7 June – England v Iceland, Wembley Stadium, KO 7.45pm
Saturday 8 June – Final squad announced (submission to Uefa)
Monday 10 June – Squad fly to Germany
Who’s on the plane, who’s in contention and who has work to do?
So what does all this mean for England’s Euro 2024 squad? Can Anthony Gordon and Jarrad Branthwaite force their way into the squad? And are Raheem Sterling and Kalvin Phillips doomed?
A closer look at which England players are heading to Germany for Euro 2024 and who might miss out on the final 23:
England’s Euro 2024 squad: Who’s on the plane and who has work to do?
A closer look at which England players are heading to Germany for Euro 2024 and who might miss out on the final 23
Ivan Toney back in the England fold after year absence
Brentford striker Ivan Toney has been handed an immediate England recall after serving an eight-month ban for breaching betting rules.
Toney was banned last May after breaching 232 English Football Association betting rules and also fined £50,000. An independent commission said the punishment could have been worse if he had not been diagnosed with a gambling addiction. Among a “substantial number of breaches,” its report said some of Toney’s bets could have resulted in the maximum punishment of a lifetime ban.
Toney played for the first time this season on 20 January and scored in Brentford’s 3-2 win against Nottingham Forest in the Premier League. He has four goals in nine games.
It is almost exactly a year since his last England appearance, a 2-0 win against Ukraine in a European Championship qualifier.
Arsenal post social media video hailing Ben White
Southgate’s comments about Ben White – that he doesn’t “want to be considered for England squads at this time” – have stirred plenty of reaction on social media.
Perhaps it is not a coincidence that Arsenal timed his new contract announcement, and accompanying celebratory video, to go out a couple of hours before the England manager’s press conference.
Arsenal may well have been given a heads up that Southgate was going to talk about the situation, as the manager didn’t want to lie to the media about why White was being left out of the England squad. So maybe the club have done what they can to protect their player.
Southgate on Anthony Gordon: ‘I really like his attitude'
Anthony Gordon is another to earn a first call-up to Southgate’s squad after scoring 10 times for Newcastle this season.
“Consistently good performances. He was very close in November and he’s continued his form,” Southgate explained. “He is scoring, his work for the team is excellent and he competes, so I really like his attitude.”
Report: England call up Jarrad Branthwaite and Anthony Gordon as Kalvin Phillips left out
Jarrad Branthwaite and Anthony Gordon have received their first England call-ups but there was no place for Kalvin Phillips in Gareth Southgate’s last squad before making his Euro 2024 selection.
Joe Gomez, who won the last of his 11 senior caps in October 2020, has returned from the international wilderness for March’s Wembley friendlies against Belgium and Brazil.
Full story:
England summon Jarrad Branthwaite and Anthony Gordon as Kalvin Phillips left out
Joe Gomez and Ivan Toney are also included for the games against Belgium and Brazil but Raheem Sterling’s exile continues
Southgate: ‘Branthwaite’s in on merit'
Centre-back Branthwaite earns a maiden England call-up after a fine breakthrough season with Everton.
Southgate said: “He’s good with the ball, shows good composure, good mentality. He’s a left-footer and we don’t have many left-footed defenders. He’s in on merit and we’re keen to find out more about him.”
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