Beth England, Nikita Parris and Jordan Nobbs have been left out of England’s squad for this month’s Arnold Clark Cup.
Captain Leah Williamson returns after missing November’s internationals through injury, as do fellow Euro 2022 winners Lucy Bronze and Lauren Hemp, while Fran Kirby returns following illness.
Manager Sarina Wiegman has named several young players in the 26-player squad, including Everton forward Jess Park, Reading forward Katie Robinson and Manchester United defender Maya Le Tissier. Uncapped goalkeeper Emily Ramsey has also been selected, while Manchester City midfielder Laura Coombs has received her first call-up since November 2020.
It means there is no place for England, despite her WSL record move from Chelsea to Tottenham in the transfer window. The 26-year-old has scored in her first two appearances for Spurs but has not done enough to earn a recall, while experienced forward Parris and midfielder Nobbs - who also moved during the transfer window and joined Aston Villa from Arsenal - are also notable absentees.
The Lionesses will face South Korea, Italy and Belgium in the Arnold Clark Cup this month, as Wiegman’s team look to defend their title in the second edition of the tournament.
England will use the Arnold Clark Cup to prepare for this summer’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, with Wiegman hoping the four-team tournament provides the springboard for further success after the Lionesses’ Euro 2022 win last year.
“The first camp of the year is always important to set the right tone for what comes next, especially with such a big opportunity in the summer,” Wiegman said. “We are only looking forward now and we have to stay humble and focused on working hard. We know the fans will be with us again and we can’t wait to see them at every stadium.
“We had a positive experience with the Arnold Clark Cup last time. We had three tough matches with different challenges in each one, and we were able to learn a lot from our performances and work on many details which we are aiming to do again.”
England squad for the Arnold Clark Cup
Goalkeepers: Mary Earps (Manchester United), Sandy MacIver (Manchester City), Emily Ramsey (Everton, on loan from Manchester United), Ellie Roebuck (Manchester City)
Defenders: Millie Bright (Chelsea), Lucy Bronze (Barcelona), Jess Carter (Chelsea), Niamh Charles (Chelsea), Rachel Daly (Aston Villa), Alex Greenwood (Manchester City), Maya Le Tissier (Manchester United), Leah Williamson (Arsenal), Lotte Wubben-Moy (Arsenal)
Midfielders: Laura Coombs (Manchester City), Fran Kirby (Chelsea), Jessica Park (Everton, on loan from Manchester City), Georgia Stanway (Bayern Munich), Ella Toone (Manchester United), Keira Walsh (Barcelona), Katie Zelem (Manchester United)
Forwards: Lauren Hemp (Manchester City), Lauren James (Chelsea), Chloe Kelly (Manchester City), Katie Robinson (Brighton & Hove Albion), Alessia Russo (Manchester United), Ebony Salmon (Houston Dash).
