Chelsea defender Levi Colwill and Arsenal striker Eddie Nketiah have earned their first call-ups to the England squad for September’s fixtures against Ukraine and Scotland.
The Three Lions will continue their Euro 2024 qualifying campaign against Ukraine at Stadion Wroclaw in Poland on September 9, three days before they meet Scotland at Hampden Park for a 150th Anniversary Heritage friendly match.
Gareth Southgate has named a 26-strong squad for next month’s contests, and Chelsea centre-back Colwill has been officially included for the first time following his rise to stardom for club and country.
The 20-year-old enjoyed a breakthrough campaign with Brighton & Hove Albion last term as the Seagulls qualified for the Europa League, before playing five games for England’s Under-21s during their run to Euro 2023 glory, having previously been invited to train with the seniors.
Since returning to Stamford Bridge, Colwill has started all three of Chelsea’s Premier League games under Mauricio Pochettino and was recently rewarded with a new long-term deal until 2029.
Meanwhile, Arsenal forward Nketiah will link up with the Three Lions for the first time owing to his strong start to the season with Arsenal, scoring two goals in their opening three Premier League matches.
The 24-year-old had previously impressed while filling in for the injured Gabriel Jesus last season, and he holds the all-time goalscoring record for the Under-21s with 16 strikes.
Nketiah joins a formidable set of offensive players led by captain and Bayern Munich new boy Harry Kane, while Crystal Palace’s Eberechi Eze holds his place, but there is no spot for Raheem Sterling or Jarrod Bowen – a decision that left the former “not particularly happy”, Southgate conceded.
Following his departure from Liverpool for Saudi Arabia’s Al-Ettifaq, Jordan Henderson has retained the faith of Southgate and is included in a six-strong engine room group, where Trent Alexander-Arnold is also listed as a midfielder.
Jude Bellingham also makes an expected return to the squad following his injury over the summer, while Manchester City’s Kalvin Phillips has been called up despite his continued lack of action, as James Ward-Prowse misses out.
Further back, Colwill will be joined in defence by Manchester United’s Harry Maguire, who is still in Southgate’s thinking despite not playing a single minute for the Red Devils so far this season.
Maguire was Man United’s fifth-choice centre-back behind Raphael Varane, Victor Lindelof, Lisandro Martinez and Luke Shaw last season, but he has retained Southgate’s trust throughout.
Colwill’s Brighton teammate Lewis Dunk returns to the squad after withdrawing from June’s fixtures, while AC Milan’s Fikayo Tomori makes the cut for the first time since September 2022.
Chelsea left-back Ben Chilwell has also earned an expected recall following his injury woes, but Arsenal’s Ben White and Tottenham Hotspur outcast Eric Dier have been left out.
Finally, Jordan Pickford, Sam Johnstone and Aaron Ramsdale make up an identical goalkeeping trio, as Newcastle United’s Nick Pope is overlooked.
ENGLAND SQUAD IN FULL:
Goalkeepers: Sam Johnstone (Crystal Palace), Jordan Pickford (Everton), Aaron Ramsdale (Arsenal)
Defenders: Ben Chilwell (Chelsea), Levi Colwill (Chelsea), Lewis Dunk (Brighton & Hove Albion), Marc Guehi (Crystal Palace), Harry Maguire (Manchester United), Fikayo Tomori (AC Milan), Kieran Trippier (Newcastle United), Kyle Walker (Manchester City)
Midfielders: Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool), Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid), Conor Gallagher (Chelsea), Jordan Henderson (Al-Ettifaq), Kalvin Phillips (Manchester City), Declan Rice (Arsenal)
Forwards: Eberechi Eze (Crystal Palace), Phil Foden (Manchester City), Jack Grealish (Manchester City), Harry Kane (Bayern Munich), James Maddison (Tottenham Hotspur), Eddie Nketiah (Arsenal), Marcus Rashford (Manchester United), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), Callum Wilson (Newcastle United)
