Leah Williamson has withdrawn from the England squad for upcoming friendlies against Australia and Italy.
The Arsenal star had earned a first Lionesses call-up since April, having made her return to action after nine months out with an anterior cruciate knee ligament injury.
However, Williamson missed Arsenal’s weekend win over Manchester United with what the club described as a “minor hamstring injury”, and will now not join up with England this week. Manchester United defender Millie Turner has been called up in her place.
Williamson has not yet played a full 90 minutes since returning from her lengthy absence, making only two starts in recent weeks.
Turner was also a late inclusion in the last England squad in December, when she was drafted in to replace the injured Millie Bright after initially missing out.
The Lionesses fly out to Spain on Monday ahead of two fixtures at the Estadio Nuevo Mirador in Algeciras. Sarina Wiegman’s side take on Austria on Friday February 23, before facing Italy four days later, in their first matches of 2024.
England will begin their Euro 2025 qualifying campaign in April, with the draw for the groups being made in early March.
The European champions have not played since a disappointing end to 2023, when a 6-0 win over Scotland was not enough to keep the Olympic dream alive.
Team GB’s participation in Paris this summer relied on England finishing top of their Nations League group and reaching the semi-finals, but they were pipped by the Netherlands.
