England manager Gareth Southgate has named his squad to face Italy and Germany in the UEFA Nations League this month.
The English national team will compete in their final two games. Starting with the trip to Milan on Friday 23 September. Before they welcome Germany to Wembley Stadium on Monday 26 September.
Among the 28-man-squad is a first England call-up at any level for Brentford striker Ivan Toney. Tottenham Hotspur defender Eric Dier also makes a return to the three Lions.
“We recognise the country is still in a period of mourning. And my thoughts remain with the Royal Family,” said England manager Gareth Southgate.
“There were certain players we wanted to keep involved this time, but that said it doesn’t mean that this is the end for some of the others who aren’t involved. Marcus Rashford, for example, has shown some encouraging signs recently.
“Clearly, we have a number of players including Ben Chilwell, Luke Shaw, Harry Maguire and Kalvin Phillips who are not playing a lot of minutes with their club. It is not ideal, but we feel they have been, and can be, important players for us.
“With Eric Dier, he has been playing well for a period of time. We think it is a really close call across our centre-backs and he has deserved to be picked back in the group.
“With Ivan Toney, we have been tracking him for a long time. His form and his qualities – not only his goal scoring but his technical ability, build-up play and aerial prowess – gives us a different threat to some of the other players we could pick.”
England manager Gareth Southgate: Announces 28-man squad for the UEFA Nations League
The squad
Goalkeepers: Dean Henderson (Nottingham Forest, loan from Manchester United), Nick Pope (Newcastle United), Aaron Ramsdale (Arsenal)
Defenders: Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool), Ben Chilwell (Chelsea), Conor Coady (Everton, loan from Wolverhampton Wanderers), Eric Dier (Tottenham Hotspur), Marc Guéhi (Crystal Palace), Reece James (Chelsea), Harry Maguire (Manchester United), Luke Shaw (Manchester United), John Stones (Manchester City), Fikayo Tomori (AC Milan), Kieran Trippier (Newcastle United), Kyle Walker (Manchester City)
Midfielders: Jude Bellingham (Borussia Dortmund), Mason Mount (Chelsea), Kalvin Phillips (Manchester City), Declan Rice (West Ham United), James Ward-Prowse (Southampton)
Forwards: Tammy Abraham (AS Roma), Jarrod Bowen (West Ham United), Phil Foden (Manchester City), Jack Grealish (Manchester City), Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), Raheem Sterling (Chelsea), Ivan Toney (Brentford)
