England announce their 25-man squad for their upcoming Nations League matches with Greece and Finland, as Dominic Solanke returns for the first time in seven years.
England interim manager Lee Carsley has announced his 25-man squad for the upcoming Nations League matches with Greece and Finland.
The Three Lions are aiming to continue their 100% start under Carsley’s wing this month, having beaten the Republic of Ireland and Finland 2-0 in their first two games under his wing in September.
England reunite with the Scandinavians in Helsinki on October 13, three days after hosting Greece at Wembley on October 10, and Carsley’s headline inclusion is undoubtedly Tottenham Hotspur striker Dominic Solanke.
The former Bournemouth striker – who joined Tottenham in a record £65m deal from the Cherries this summer – has hit a rich vein of form over the past few weeks after a slow and injury-hit start to life in North London.
Solanke has found the back of the net in each of his last three games against Manchester United, Qarabag and Brentford, in addition to providing an assist against the Azerbaijani side in the Europa League, and he has been rewarded with a first England call-up in seven years.
Solanke called up as Harry Maguire misses out
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The 27-year-old’s first and only appearance for his country so far came in a friendly draw with Brazil in November 2017, where he replaced Jamie Vardy for the final 15 minutes of that goalless stalemate.
Solanke’s long-awaited return comes as Ollie Watkins is recalled following his withdrawal from the September squad, but Al-Ahli’s Ivan Toney is still absent, despite Carsley extending an olive branch to the striker last month.
Solanke replaces West Ham United’s Jarrod Bowen in the attacking ranks amid the Irons’ poor start to the Premier League campaign, while Manchester City’s Jack Grealish and Chelsea’s Noni Madueke – who made his debut last month – are called up again.
However, there is no space in the October squad for Tottenham’s James Maddison or Crystal Palace’s Eberechi Eze, as Real Madrid’s Jude Bellingham, Man City’s Phil Foden and Chelsea’s Cole Palmer make expected returns after missing September’s victories due to injury and illness.
Lille’s Angel Gomes and Nottingham Forest’s Morgan Gibbs-White are also involved again after their maiden call-ups in September, but Manchester United centre-back Harry Maguire has dropped out for Kyle Walker.
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The £80m centre-back has lost his place in the Red Devils’ XI to Matthijs de Ligt in recent weeks, although Carsley stressed at his press conference that he could still force his way back into the reckoning.
Tino Livramento – who was called up last month but failed to make his senior debut – drops out too, and Arsenal’s Ben White remains absent, suggesting that he has still not changed his stance on representing his nation again.
Jordan Pickford, Dean Henderson and Nick Pope also comprise an unchanged goalkeeping setup, as Southampton’s Aaron Ramsdale and Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Sam Johnstone miss out.
England sit second in League B Group 2 of the Nations League, only behind Greece on goal difference ahead of their contest at Wembley in seven days’ time.
England Nations League squad in full:
Goalkeepers: Dean Henderson (Crystal Palace), Jordan Pickford (Everton), Nick Pope (Newcastle United)
Defenders: Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool), Levi Colwill (Chelsea), Marc Guehi (Crystal Palace), Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa), Rico Lewis (Manchester City), John Stones (Manchester City), Kyle Walker (Manchester City)
Midfielders: Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid), Phil Foden (Manchester City), Conor Gallagher (Atletico Madrid), Morgan Gibbs-White (Nottingham Forest), Angel Gomes (Lille), Kobbie Mainoo (Manchester United), Cole Palmer (Chelsea), Declan Rice (Arsenal)
Forwards: Anthony Gordon (Newcastle United), Jack Grealish (Manchester City), Harry Kane (Bayern Munich), Noni Madueke (Chelsea), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), Dominic Solanke (Tottenham Hotspur), Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa)