MY ACCOUNT
Crystal Palace midfielder Eberechi Eze has earned his first call-up to Gareth Southgate’s England squad for their upcoming Euro 2024 qualifiers against Malta and North Macedonia.
Trent Alexander-Arnold, Lewis Dunk and Tyrone Mings all return to the Three Lions fold, with Raheem Sterling, Ben White and Eric Dier among the notable absentees.
Brighton captain Dunk has the chance to add to his solitary international cap, picked up against United States in 2018.
Newcastle striker Callum Wilson replaces Ivan Toney, who was hit with an eight-month ban for betting breaches last week.
Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford is also available again after pulling out of the previous squad through injury.
On Palace star Eze, 24, Southgate said: “We’ve liked him for a long time. He was very unfortunate just before the Euros, we were going to call him in and he got an injury on the day.
“He has finished the season really strongly. He can play in a couple of positions across the attacking line.
“Everyone I speak to talks brilliantly about him as a person.”
Sterling’s exclusion was agreed between Southgate and the Chelsea attacker, with a representative for the 82-cap international saying: “Following a private conversation between coach and player, a mutual decision has been made for Raheem Sterling to sit out the upcoming internationals, focusing instead on recuperating his body in preparation for the upcoming season.”
Southgate, 52, added: “He’s not happy physically with his condition, having been carrying a hamstring problem. He really wasn’t in consideration.”
The Three Lions travel to Malta on June 16 before hosting North Macedonia at Old Trafford on June 19.
Southgate’s men sit top of Group C after two matches following victories over Italy and Ukraine last March.
England squad in full
Goalkeepers: Sam Johnstone, Jordan Pickford, Aaron Ramsdale
Defenders: Trent Alexander-Arnold, Lewis Dunk, Marc Guehi, Harry Maguire, Tyrone Mings, Luke Shaw, John Stones, Kieran Trippier, Kyle Walker
Midfielders: Jude Bellingham, Eberechi Eze, Conor Gallagher, Jordan Henderson, James Maddison, Kalvin Phillips, Declan Rice
Forwards: Phil Foden, Jack Grealish, Harry Kane, Marcus Rashford, Bukayo Saka, Callum Wilson
