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21st May 2024
07:37am BST
A number of high profile England attackers look set to miss out on Gareth Southgate's Euro 2024 squad due to a lack of defensive options.
On Tuesday afternoon, Southgate will name his provisional Three Lions squad that will travel to Germany this summer in pursuit of European Championship glory.
But whilst there is an abundance of options in attack and midfield for the England manager to consider, the same can't be said defensively.
Earlier this year, UEFA announced squad sizes for the Euros would be increased from 23 to 26, and it is thought that Southgate will use these extra three places on defenders.
The Daily Mail reports that this means Jack Grealish, Marcus Rashford, Ivan Toney and James Maddison's inclusion in the Euro 2024 squad is at serious risk.
Meanwhile, Raheem Sterling, who was a stalwart of the England team at last in Euros in 2021, is not expected to be in the squad. This will be the first major tournament he has missed for England since making his international debut in November 2012.
Southgate's defensive problems are stacking up. His usual starting left-back, Luke Shaw, hasn't played a game since February due to a hamstring injury, and it remains to be seen if he will make the squad in the hope he can prove his fitness before the tournament, which kicks off on June 14.
There are also fitness concerns over Harry Maguire, who hasn't played in almost a month, Reece James, who has started just five league games for Chelsea this season, and Ben Chilwell, who has played just 12 minutes since March 26.
And with Kieran Trippier having had a season dogged by injury and poor form, Southgate would like to have a few more defensive options in his team.
This means we can probably expect to see the likes of Levi Colwill, Ezri Konsa and Joe Gomez all making Southgate's provisional squad.
The England squad for Euro 2024 will be made up of 30-plus players, and is set to be named at 2pm on Tuesday, May 21.
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