Gareth Southgate has left Marcus Rashford, Jordan Henderson and Raheem Sterling out of England’s provisional squad for Euro 2024 – while giving shock call-ups to Adam Wharton, Jarell Quansah and Curtis Jones.
Rashford pays the price for an underwhelming campaign with Manchester United, while Henderson’s international career is surely over after a disastrous season at Saudi club Al-Ettifaq and then Ajax.
Sterling, another stalwart of the Southgate era as Three Lions boss, also fails to make the 33-man squad after a hit and miss season with Chelsea.
On the omission of Rashford, Southgate explained: ‘Other players in that area of the pitch have had better seasons. It’s as simple as that.’
He ascribed Henderson’s absence to an injury he picked up following the last internationals in March.
Marcus Rashford has been left out of Gareth Southgate’s provisional squad for England’s Euro 2024 campaign this summer
Chelsea’s Raheem Sterling is another big name missing from Southgate’s provisional squad
Ajax’s Jordan Henderson is another high-profile name left out of the England Euro squad
‘Hendo has given himself every chance. The determining factor was the injury he picked up around the last camp, he missed five weeks and he hasn’t been able to get to the intensity,’ he said.
‘He will be a miss, he is an exceptional individual, a fantastic human being and he has been in that leadership role since I took charge.
‘We have got young players with a lot of caps and there’s no reason they can’t lead.’
But Southgate is willing to give young players a chance to force their way into the squad heading to Germany for the tournament.
Uncapped Liverpool midfielder Jones and defender Quansah have been included, while Wharton is rewarded for his excellent Crystal Palace form following an £18million January move from Blackburn.
Manchester United left-back Luke Shaw is picked despite injury worries that leave his Euro participation in doubt, while his Old Trafford team-mate Kobbie Mainoo is selected again.
On Shaw, Southgate admitted: ‘He is up against it, he has missed a lot of football and the fact he has been our first choice in that position is why we are giving him more time than we might have done. I don’t know what’s realistic at this time.
‘The medical team are liaising with Manchester United but I’d say he is a long shot.’
Adam Wharton has been rewarded for his Crystal Palace form since joining in January
Liverpool’s Jarell Quansah has been given a chance to impress amid defensive injury issues
Harry Kane’s two understudies up front – Ivan Toney of Brentford and Ollie Watkins of Aston Villa – are both in, though only one may make the final cut.
Also selected in attack as Jarrod Bowen, Eberechi Eze, Anthony Gordon, James Maddison and Cole Palmer with Southgate determined to give everyone an audition.
That also applies in defence, with the uncapped Everton centre-back Jarrad Branthwaite, Liverpool’s versatile Joe Gomez, Villa’s Ezri Konsa, Brighton’s Lewis Dunk and Palace’s Marc Guehi alongside more established names like Harry Maguire and John Stones.
Southgate confirmed Arsenal’s Ben White didn’t make himself available for selection, while Reece James and Ben Chilwell were also not included.
Burnley’s James Trafford is one of four goalkeepers picked in the enlarged squad.
Those selected will report to a training camp and will hope for a chance to impress Southgate in pre-Euros friendlies against Bosnia and Herzegovina at St James’ Park in Newcastle on June 3 and Iceland at Wembley on June 7.
The deadline for cutting the squad down to a maximum of 26 players is June 7.
England begin their Euro 2024 campaign against Serbia in Gelsenkirchen on June 16, with Denmark and Slovenia also in their group.
Eric Dier wasn’t included in the squad despite a strong second half of the season with Bayern Munich.
Liverpool midfielder Curtis Jones has also been included in the 33-man provisional squad
Kobbie Mainoo (left) will hope to force his way into the final 26-man squad for the Euros
‘[He has] played very well for Bayern and I know they are very happy with him,’ the England boss said.
‘He’s just behind the guys we’ve selected. We watch every game and he has played well in the Champions League as well. We’ve assessed all of that.’
The official announcement featured a few positional quirks with Jude Bellingham named among the forwards, but Southgate insisted nothing should be read into that.
He said: ‘I wouldn’t be obsessed with where we’ve positioned the players. I write a list and other people put a heading on it.
‘I don’t know where players will be cut. In another couple of weeks we will be a lot clearer on a number of issues.’
Jadon Sancho hasn’t forced an England recall despite a productive loan spell at Borussia Dortmund from United.
