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England Euro 2020 squad: Who’s on the bus, who’s in contention and who could miss out?

Who will make up Gareth Southgate’s final England squad for Euro 2020? (Getty Images / The Independent)
Who will make up Gareth Southgate’s final England squad for Euro 2020? (Getty Images / The Independent)

Gareth Southgate will announce his England squad for the rearranged Euro 2020 later this month.

England will play Croatia, Scotland and the Czech Republic in Group D. All three of their games will be held at Wembley, as will the semi-finals and final.

Southgate will name his squad on 25 May, two days after the completion of the Premier League season.

England will then play pre-tournament friendlies against Austria and Romania at Middlesbrough’s Riverside Stadium.

Uefa recently expanded the number of players in each squad from 23 to 26, opening three extra slots for Southgate should he choose to make use of them.

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Who will be on the team bus travelling from St George’s Park to Wembley? Who can be confident of a place, who is on the fringes and who has work to do?

Here, The Independent runs the rule over the contenders...

On the bus

Harry Kane

England’s captain and most accomplished goalscorer at international level, Kane is not only top of the Premier League’s scoring charts but has registered the most assists too. Only injury can prevent him from a place in the squad.

Harry Maguire

Quietly excellent for Manchester United this season after recovering from a traumatic start to the campaign. England’s best centre-back by a distance. A knee ligament injury is a worry but, even if he needs time, Southgate will surely risk him.

Raheem Sterling

Sterling has fallen out of favour at Manchester City after a profligate season in front of goal. Even so, he remains one of England’s most important players and his place in the final squad has never come into doubt.

Mason Mount

Derided as a ‘teacher’s pet’ only a few months ago, Mount has silenced his critics with eye-catching performances for club and country, impressing on Chelsea’s route to the Champions League final. Southgate has never doubted his quality.

Getty Images / The Independent
Getty Images / The Independent

Phil Foden

The most exciting young English player of his generation. Foden’s balletic displays have essentially displaced Sterling from City’s first-choice line-up and, even with England’s abundant attacking talent, he may now be a starter for his country too.

Declan Rice

There will be great relief within the England camp that Rice has recovered from a knee injury picked up during the March internationals, returning for West Ham at the weekend. He has grown in importance for his country over the past 18 months.

Ben Chilwell

Chilwell’s place briefly looked under threat when Thomas Tuchel arrived at Stamford Bridge, with Marcos Alonso preferred at times, but he now appears to have regained his automatic starting status and is certain to earn a Euros spot.

John Stones

Stones’ mistake against Poland almost proved costly and was a reminder that for all his progress this year, he is still prone to lapses of concentration. Even so, head and shoulders above the other candidates to start alongside Maguire.

Jordan Pickford

Pickford’s starting place has been questioned and the Everton goalkeeper missed the March internationals through injury, but Nick Pope’s struggles in possession while filling in for him showed why his ability on the ball is valued highly by Southgate.

In contention

Jack Grealish

Finally back from a shin injury picked up in February, Grealish needs minutes under his belt but is at least fit again. Can be confident of a squad place though whether he starts or makes an impact off the bench is another question.

Jordan Henderson

Henderson underwent groin surgery in February and has not played for Liverpool since. Effectively England’s vice captain, Southgate will give him every chance to prove he is ready.

Marcus Rashford

Has spent much of the season playing through the pain barrier and not in especially good form but hard to see how he does not make the final cut. Carrying a shoulder injury which may require surgery after the tournament.

Jadon Sancho

Sancho has had issues with injuries this season and seems to have been somewhat forgotten in his home country but has powered Dortmund over the line recently. Arguably England’s most talented and well-rounded attacking player.

Kyle Walker

Facing plenty of competition at right-back but Walker has impressed as a key part of City’s mean defence. His ability to play as a right-sided centre-half in a back three puts him ahead of his rivals for a place in the squad.

Luke Shaw

Enjoying the best form of his career at United, Shaw has fought his way back into the international fold and will provide serious competition to Chilwell for the starting left-back spot.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin

Leading the race to provide cover for Kane. Calvert-Lewin’s physicality offers something different from the other alternatives and the goals are gradually starting to return at club level too after a strong start to the season.

Getty Images / The Independent
Getty Images / The Independent

Kalvin Phillips

Started all three of the March internationals, which suggested that he is a key part of Southgate’s vision for the summer. May lose out on a regular spot in the line-up if Henderson recovers in time but looks likely to earn a place in the squad.

Tyrone Mings

Despite only winning his first cap last season at 26-years-old, Mings is a player Southgate trusts. His left-footedness is no small part of his appeal as a centre-half and could be key if England play three at the back against elite opponents.

Dean Henderson

Finally playing regularly at club level ahead of David de Gea and a challenge to Pickford to be Southgate’s starting goalkeeper is not entirely out of the question, though errors in last week’s defeat to Liverpool will not have gone unnoticed.

Nick Pope

Offered a chance to impress during the March games and kept two clean sheets in three games but was partly at fault for Poland’s goal and struggled with the ball at his feet. His chance of ousting Pickford has probably been and gone.

On the fringes

Getty Images / The Independent
Getty Images / The Independent

Trent Alexander-Arnold

Dropped for the March games but has responded brilliantly during Liverpool’s push to finish in the top four. Offers more creativity in possession than any of his rivals at right-back but his defensive limitations have come under the spotlight.

Jesse Lingard

Has the J-Lingz renaissance come too late? Possibly not. Lingard played in all three March games, having been a trusted regular at the last World Cup. His work rate off-the-ball is something Southgate wants to see from his attacking players.

Bukayo Saka

Played no part in March due to injury but was kept around the squad anyway, which must bode well. Impressed in the autumn and his ability to play anywhere down the left is an asset.

Jude Bellingham

Forced everyone back at home to sit up and take notice with his performances in the Champions League. Not 18 until next month, Bellingham may already be England’s most well-rounded option in midfield and is becoming increasingly hard to overlook.

Kieran Trippier

One of the senior players among the group and impressive for Atletico Madrid this season but faces a lot of competition in his position. Only played one half of the three March games, coming on as a substitute against San Marino.

Reece James

Picked ahead of Alexander-Arnold last time around and highly thought of within the England set-up but facing stiff competition for a place in his position and has lost his automatic starting spot since Tuchel’s arrival at Chelsea.

James Ward-Prowse

Ward-Prowse’s set-piece ability offers something genuinely unique but Southampton’s slump in the second half of the season has not helped his cause, though. Missed March’s final game against Poland as a fitness precaution.

Conor Coady

Took the captain’s armband after Sterling’s substitution against San Marino, the second time he has worn it in just four caps. Even so, the move away from a fixed back three may damage his chances of a Euros place.

Eric Dier

Included in the March squad but did not play, not even being named on the bench against Albania. Of all those to join up for the most recent camp, Dier’s position feels the most precarious but his experience could count in his favour.

Ollie Watkins

A surprise recent call-up but Watkins scored on debut and has adapted well to the Premier League. Finishing has been an issue at times, though, and a lack of international experience may count against him when it comes to the final squad.

Work to do

Patrick Bamford

Is Bamford’s goalscoring just a product of Marcelo Bielsa’s style and system? Can it be replicated in an England shirt? Those questions seem to have counted against the Leeds striker, who was left out of the March camp despite talk of a call-up.

Mason Greenwood

Greenwood has rediscovered form with United after a difficult first half of the campaign but has not been involved with England at senior level since being sent home with Foden from the trip to Iceland. May benefit from the squad expansion.

Michael Keane

Keane has carried his form through to the second-half of the season, but not always comfortable playing in a high line and was left out of the March squad despite being fit and available.

Danny Ings

Injuries have most likely put paid to Ings’ chances of a call-up, despite him recovering and returning for Southampton. Stood a better chance last year before the tournament’s postponement.

James Maddison

Injury and indiscipline have undermined Maddison’s chances of a place in the final squad but even then, his form over the course of the season has not quite hit the heights of the rivals in his position.

Tammy Abraham

Abraham was rivalling Kane for a starting spot last season but has completely fallen out of favour since Tuchel’s arrival at Chelsea. Needs to find regular first team football before an England recall can be considered.

Callum Hudson-Odoi

A regular in the early days of Tuchel’s Chelsea reign, Hudson-Odoi has since returned to a bit-part role. Inclusion in the Under-21 squad in March indicated that he has more to do to earn a senior international recall.

Getty Images / The Independent
Getty Images / The Independent

Harry Winks

Started the season as an ever-present in Southgate’s squads but lost his place at Tottenham and has fallen behind the likes of Phillips and Ward-Prowse. Though playing again under Ryan Mason, an international return appears unlikely.

Ross Barkley

A squad regular and a starter under Southgate during qualifying, a combination of injury and poor form while on loan at Aston Villa have seen Barkley fall back down the pecking order.

Ainsley Maitland-Niles

Called up as a utility man during the autumn and did not let Southgate down in that respect, but the squad expansion means such players are not particularly needed anymore.

Callum Wilson

No sooner had Wilson recovered from injury and he was back on the treatment table. Despite respectable scoring figures at Newcastle this season, a place in the final squad would be far too much of a gamble.

Fikayo Tomori

Performances at Milan on loan have won admirers in Italy but back home it seems to be out of sight and out of mind. Aggressive style of defending perhaps not suited, given Southgate’s preference for more traditional centre-halves.

Ezri Konsa

Caught Southgate’s eye alongside Mings in the Villa defence which started the season strongly but has since regressed. Konsa’s faint hopes of a finals place probably went when he was overlooked in March.

Ben Godfrey

Arguably Everton’s player of the season. A balanced all-rounder who is notoriously difficult to beat on the dribble but this tournament could have come slightly too soon for the 23-year-old.

Outside bets

Jamie Vardy

Vardy stepped away from international football after the 2018 World Cup rather than retiring outright but a return is unlikely. Even when available, Southgate rarely played to his strengths.

Sam Johnstone

Impressed despite West Bromwich Albion’s relegation this year and could be in line for a summer move but only likely to make the final squad if one of the other three goalkeepers is unavailable.

Dele Alli

Back in the Tottenham side under Mason but lost his England place long before his club exile began. Still highly thought of but will need to rediscover his form of three or four years ago in order to return.

Michail Antonio

As effective as many of the other candidates to be Kane’s backup but his patchy fitness record counts against him. Whether he would suit Southgate’s style of play is also up for debate.

Aaron Wan-Bissaka

Still uncapped. An excellent one-on-one defender but limited in possession and vulnerable to far-post crosses. Competition at right back means he could opt to switch allegiances and represent DR Congo.

Aaron Cresswell

Arguably the best left-back in the Premier League this season behind Shaw but has not been considered by Southgate for a few years now, last appearing in a World Cup qualifier against Lithuania.

Luke Ayling

Name-checked by Southgate while listing his many right-back options but the sheer volume of alternatives all but certainly means that any call-up will only come in the next tournament cycle.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain

Denied a place in the World Cup squad by injury three years ago, Oxlade-Chamberlain simply has not played enough this season to make an impact for Liverpool or revive his international career.

Matty Cash

Like Ayling, name-checked by Southgate but Villa’s defensive decline counts against him, as well as the number of more established right-backs ahead of him. In the England manager’s thoughts, at least.

Ruled out

Joe Gomez

Suffered a knee injury during the November camp which ruled him out for the remainder of the campaign. Will be missed given the lack of convincing options behind Maguire and Stones at centre-back.

Harvey Barnes

Called up for the first time in November and was in promising form until suffering a knee injury in February which required surgery, ruling him out of contention for a place in the final squad.

The Independent’s predicted Euro 2020 squad

Goalkeepers: Pickford, Pope, D Henderson

Defenders: Maguire, Stones, Mings, Coady, Dier, Chilwell, Shaw, Walker, James, Trippier

Midfielders: J Henderson, Rice, Mount, Phillips, Bellingham, Saka

Forwards: Kane, Foden, Sterling, Rashford, Sancho, Grealish, Calvert-Lewin

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