Gareth Southgate will name his final England squad for Euro 2024 on Saturday, with his players having too warm-up games this week to claim a place on the plane to Germany
Cut-down day for Euro 2024 is fast approaching, with Gareth Southgate naming his final 26-man England squad on Saturday.
Before that, the Three Lions will take on Bosnia & Herzegovina and Iceland in two warm-up friendlies. Those two games will be the last chance for the current 33-man training squad to impress Southgate and earn a ticket to Germany.
There are several players who are all but certain to be on the plane, think of the likes of Harry Kane, Jordan Pickford and Jude Bellingham. Meanwhile James Trafford is expected to be cut as the least experienced of the three goalkeepers.
There are still questions over at least nine other players in Southgate’s squad, with the boss to cut seven on Saturday. Here, Mirror Football runs through those fighting for a spot on the plane to Germany.
Jarrad Branthwaite
Defence is an error of weakness for England heading into this summer’s tournament. Branthwaite has been one of the brightest young English defenders in the Premier League this season, earning rave reviews for Everton.
He helped the Toffees to survive their relegation battle, becoming a key part of Sean Dyche’s team. The 21-year-old was called up for the March internationals, though did not play against either Brazil or Belgium.
Given his strong end to the season, the games with Bosnia and Iceland are a prime chance for the defender to force his way in Southgate’s plans. Whether he starts or comes off the bench remains to be seen, though he appears to be the best placed of the centre-backs pushing to go.
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Lewis Dunk
An awful performance in the March internationals meant it was somewhat of a surprise to see Dunk included in the training squad. He also suffered a knee injury in the penultimate game of Brighton’s season.
If there are any doubts about Dunk’s fitness, the defender is highly likely to be cut. He fluffed his chance to impress Southgate back in March and this week could be the last chance saloon for Dunk if he is able to feature.
Ezri Konsa
It is likely there are three players going for two or even one centre-back spot this week, with Konsa battling Branthwaite and Dunk. Konsa made 50 appearances to help Aston Villa claim a top four place in the season just gone.
The defender played against both Brazil and Belgium at right-back. He can also feature at centre-half and that versatility could see him earn a place on the plane if he impresses this week.
Curtis Jones
Competition for central midfield will be fierce this week and one surprise name fighting for his spot is Curtis Jones. Despite Liverpool spending heavily on new midfielders last summer, Jones was able to claim a regular place in Jurgen Klopp’s side.
The 23-year-old impressed for the Reds, scoring five goals and notching three assists. Despite an injury in February derailing his season, Jones has caught the eye of Southgate and impressive performances this week could be enough for him to go to the Euros.
Adam Wharton
If someone had told Adam Wharton at the start of the season that he was on the verge of playing at the Euros, he would be mistaken for laughing in their face. Wharton played for Championship struggler Blackburn Rovers for the first-half of the campaign.
But a January move to Crystal Palace saw the midfielder become a revelation in the Premier League. Given he is only 20-years-old, it’s likely he will be cut, but if he stars this week, Southgate could be convinced to roll the dice.
Eberechi Eze
With Wilfred Zaha moving to Turkey last summer, Eze has stepped up to become Crystal Palace’s main man. The attacker scored 11 goals and notched six assists in all competitions in the campaign just gone.
Though he was not in the squad for the March internationals, his impressive end to the season convinced Southgate to give him a shot. But with competition for the attacking spots set to be fierce, Eze will need a strong week to be on the plane.
Anthony Gordon
Gordon proved why Newcastle spent so much to sign him from Everton over this season. He scored 12 goals and claimed 11 assists in all competitions, despite what was a disappointing campaign for the Magpies.
While Gordon is one of the most in-form England stars, he is competiting with the likes of Phil Foden, Bukayo Saka, Cole Palmer and Eze for a place in Southgate’s squad. A strong display against Bosnia could lift him above his rivals.
Ivan Toney
The final two players depends very much on what Southgate wants to do when it comes to striker. Kane is obviously going to be the first-choice up-front in Germany, but the identity of his back-up is still up in the air.
Toney did score in the March internationals, though struggled for goals at Brentford once he returned from his betting ban. His form on penalties may give him the edge though and scoring in either of the warm-up games would also stand him in very good stead.
Ollie Watkins
Toney is battling Aston Villa star Watkins for the job of Kane’s primary back-up. Watkins is coming off the back of a stunning season for Villa, firing them into the top four and with it qualification for the Champions League.
He did struggle in the March internationals, but that would be forgotten if he had a strong week over the next seven days. Despite Toney’s gifts with penalties, Watkins could well push himself above the Bees star.
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