England kick-off their European Championship campaign against Serbia in 184 days hoping to go one better than their showing at Euro 2020.
Gareth Southgate‘s squad has undergone serious work since their penalty shootout loss to Italy two years ago. His latest selection included six players that were uncapped by the time of that final at Wembley.
The England manager, who has built a reputation as a cautious operator on and off the field, appears to have loosened his stringent selection criteria for newbies.
Eddie Nketiah, Levi Colwill, Eberechi Eze, Rico Lewis and Cole Palmer have all made their debuts in the last six months.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at some of the uncapped young players catching the eye with their performances in the Premier League that are making a late dash for Euro 2024 selection.
Southgate will name one more squad in March before selecting his players for Euro 2024
The England boss handed debuts to Cole Palmer (left) and Rico Lewis (middle) in the last international break, while Ezra Konsa (right) was part of his first senior squad
Anthony Gordon has been Newcastle’s best player this season and has scored crucial goals in wins over Man United, Chelsea and Arsenal
The first, and most obvious inclusion on this list, Gordon was unfortunate to miss out in Southgate’s most recent squad for games against Malta and North Macedonia.
The 22-year-old has been Newcastle’s best performer this season, providing crucial goal contributions while remaining a constant menace for defenders with his pace and trickery.
Gordon starred for the Under 21s at the European Championship last summer and took home the Player of the Tournament award as Lee Carsley’s Young Lions lifted the trophy.
A spot in the England squad is certainly up for grabs as a result of the continued exclusion of Raheem Sterling and poor form of Marcus Rashford.
Gordon will have justification to be aggrieved if he maintains his form throughout the campaign and is not part of the final squad next summer.
Lewis Miley
Seventeen-year-old Lewis Miley is yet to be capped at U21 level for England. Thrust into the first team amid an injury crisis at St James’ Park, Miley has looked frighteningly at ease.
He has played the majority of the Magpies’ recent games included Premier League clashes against Chelsea, Manchester United, Everton and Tottenham as well as a crucial Champions League tie in Paris against PSG.
The young midfielder is excellent in possession and has already shown glimpses of his ability to break the lines with incisive passes into the final third.
Having only just burst onto the scene, Miley faces a tough task to impress Southgate enough to force his way into the team. But if he is able to maintain his place in the starting XI after Newcastle’s usual starters are fully fit, he’ll certainly put himself in the frame.
With concerns over the game time and quality of opposition surrounding Kalvin Phillips and Jordan Henderson, there is a opening for a midfielder and Miley will hope he can catch the eye by helping the Magpies qualify for the Champions League knockout rounds and climb up the Premier League table.
Lewis Miley has been a mainstay in Newcastle’s recent starting XIs due to the club’s injury crisis
Kobbie Mainoo
Speaking of cultured teenage midfielders, Kobbie Mainoo has impressed in adversity at Man United this season.
The youngster was the breakout star for United in pre-season before picking up an ankle injury that kept him on the sidelines until October.
The 18-year-old made his first start of the campaign in last month’s Premier League win at Goodison Park before starting the Red Devils’ 1-0 defeat by Newcastle the following week.
Mainoo also came off the bench in the loss to Bayern Munich but Bruno Fernandes’ suspension puts him in pole position to start against Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday.
To stand any chance of making Southgate’s squad, these are the kind of games Mainoo needs to grab attention. With only two league starts and one substitute appearance in the Champions League, he’ll have to hold down a place in the starting XI and hope United start operating like a coherent side.
Kobbie Mainoo has made two appearances for Man United in the league and impressed
Jarell Quansah
A common theme among many of the starlets on this list is the opportunity that has been afforded to them due to injuries and Jarell Quansah is no different.
There has been minimal fretting at Anfield over finding an quick replacement for Joel Matip, who is likely to be out for the rest of the season with an ACL injury.
At 6ft 3in, possessing speed and ability on the ball, Quansah has the physical and technical attributes required to excel at the highest levels of the modern game. But experience is especially crucial for defenders.
The youngster has had the luxury of anchoring the Liverpool defence during their Europa League campaign before coming into the Premier League side for their weekend win against Crystal Palace.
Should Jurgen Klopp decide to refrain from acquiring a central defender in the upcoming transfer window, Quansah will compete with Ibrahima Konate for a starting spot alongside Virgil Van Dijk.
And though the Frenchman will be the favourite to be given the lion’s share of appearances, he too has shown an inability to stay fit for stretches.
Jarell Quansah made his second league start of the campaign in Liverpool’s 2-1 win at Palace
Tino Livramento
Livramento is another young Newcastle player that has been able to reap the rewards of increased playtime in an injury-ravaged squad. And considering the 21-year-old wretched luck with injuries, you’d struggle to find someone that would begrudge him that.
The former Southampton youngster has featured in each of the Magpies last six Premier League games, including impressive wins against Arsenal and Man United.
The key to Livramento making the England squad is his versatility. The full-back has spent a roughly equally amount of time on the left and right. While the right-back position will be covered by one of Kyle Walker, Kieran Trippier, Reece James or even Trent Alexander-Arnold if needed, the opposite side of the pitch could be up for grabs.
Luke Shaw is the first choice but fitness remains a concern for the Man United star, who has only just returned from a long lay-off. The same goes for Ben Chilwell, who is recovering from his third hamstring injury in a year.
Fikayo Tomori failed to stamp his authority on the position during his audition in England’s win against Malta last month. If he stays fit and in good form, Livramento has a great chance of featuring in Germany.
Tino Livramento is back fully fit after missing virtually the entirety of last season with the ACL injury he sustained in April 2022
Jarrad Branthwaite
The 21-year-old has become a mainstay in Sean Dyche’s side and has played every minute of their last 14 Premier League fixtures.
He is quick off the mark despite standing at 6ft 5in. He’s left-footed, good on the ball and dominant in the air. It’s little wonder he has attracted interest from big clubs in the league and it appears only to be a matter of time until he is called up to the senior England squad.
In fact, Southgate himself was in attendance as Everton beat Chelsea on Sunday with Branthwaite producing another superb performance at the back.
The only issue for the youngster is the competition for places. The England manager’s trusted duo of John Stones and Harry Maguire are unlikely to be messed with ahead of the tournament.
Additionally, Levi Colwill and Marc Guehi have been played on the left-hand side of central defence, with the former also capable of playing at full-back. Barring injury it is difficult to see Branthwaite forcing his way into the England reckoning.
But injuries do happen and he looks ready to step up if given the chance.
Jarrad Branthwaite (right) won the Dutch Cup last season while on loan at PSV and was also part of the England squad that clinched the U21 European Championship
Gareth Southgate kept a watchful eye on the young defender and his teammate Dominic Calvert-Lewin during the Toffees’ 2-0 win against Chelsea on Sunday
Harvey Elliott
Before Saturday’s winning goal against Crystal Palace, Harvey Elliot had been flying completely under the radar despite starting the campaign in blistering form.
His strike at Selhurst Park took his tally in all competitions for club and country to six goals and four assists. The caveat being that five of those goals and two assists have come for the U21s.
Harvey Elliot has six goals and four assists in all competitions for club and country this season
Still, with limited game time for Jurgen Klopp’s squad, Elliot has made an impact in almost every game he’s featured in this season.
The Europa League has made up for the lack of domestic starts and his minutes are sure to increase in January when Klopp is forced to shuffle the deck due to Mohamed Salah’s AFCON-enforced absence.
The 20-year-old will play for England sooner or later but the role on the right side of a midfield three may well be filled by his Liverpool teammate Alexander-Arnold next summer. More likely is more time with the U21s, unless Saturday’s goal becomes a more regular occurrence.
