Manchester City quintet Kyle Walker, John Stones, Kalvin Phillips, Jack Grealish and Phil Foden have been named in the England squad for their upcoming Euro 2024 qualifiers.
Gareth Southgate announced his 25-man squad on Thursday afternoon after deciding to continue his tenure into the European Championships in Germany, following the Qatar World Cup quarter-final exit at the hands of France late last year.
The Three Lions kick off the first two of their 10 qualifying games over the international break, with Southgate's squad travelling to the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium in Naples on Thursday March 23 to face Italy before hosting Ukraine at Wembley on Sunday March 26 - North Macedonia and Malta are the other two nations in Group C.
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And in the first squad since that World Cup exit, Southgate has retained the five City players who travelled with the squad to Qatar.
Grealish has been enjoying his best form since joining City from Aston Villa in the summer of 2021, starting 12 of the last 13 club games on the left-hand side and registering a goal and three assists in the process. Many of those games had seen Foden dropped to the bench, but the 22-year-old has come back with a bang, a run of four goals in three starts earning him a place in the squad.
Phillips is again involved with the England setup as he looks to increase his minutes at both domestic and international level. The midfielder has been unable to enjoy regular football at City, thanks in part to the form of the irreplaceable Rodri, but remains an important part of Southgate's plans - as proven by his inclusion in the World Cup party despite having played just 57 minutes of football beforehand.
Experienced defensive duo Stones and Walker are also included for England's two qualifiers, having been consistent fixtures in Guardiola's plans this season.
Before the selected players can set off to St George's Park for their preparations, they face an FA Cup quarter-final tie against Vincent Kompany's Burnley on Saturday evening.
England squad in full
Goalkeepers: Pickford, Pope, Ramsdale
Defenders: Chilwell, Dier, Guehi, James, Maguire, Shaw, Stones, Trippier, Walker
Midfielders: Bellingham, Gallagher, Henderson, Maddison, Mount, Phillips, Rice
Forwards: Foden, Grealish, Kane, Rashford, Saka, Toney
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