The countdown to Euro 2024 is on, with Gareth Southgate naming his England squad for the high-profile friendlies against Brazil and Belgium later this month.
With just 92 days to go until the action starts in Germany this summer, time is running out for new faces to barge their way into Southgate’s final squad.
The likes of Cole Palmer, Ezri Konsa, Anthony Gordon and Jarrad Branthwaite made the cut in Southgate’s 25-man squad this time as they look to impress and get a first taste of tournament football this summer.
One name missing was 18-year-old Kobbie Mainoo, whose mature performances in the Manchester United midfield this year have been turning heads.
After establishing himself in the Red Devils’ first-team picture, plenty of Old Trafford fans want to see him given a chance with England, amid fears that Ghana may look to call him up, with the teenager eligible to play for the Black Stars through his parents.
Instead, it looks like Mainoo will have to settle - for now, at least - for another England youth team call-up, with a first appearance for the under-21s likely.
But are England missing a trick in not including him in their plans for this summer’s tournament?
Southgate clearly thinks it’s too early for Mainoo to make the step up and with just 15 Premier League appearances under his belt, it’s hard to argue with the England boss.
“He’s doing brilliantly for a young player,” Southgate said after revealing his latest squad. “We’re never been slow to put a young player into the seniors, but he’s only had a handful of games and you have to be very careful development-wise making those decisions at the right time. We think ideally we should allow him that space to develop at his own speed.
“He’s not at the point in terms of number of games that Jude [Bellingham] or Bukayo [Saka] were when they came in the first time, but I repeat he’s doing really well for a young player. He’s a good footballer. You can see that and he’s getting some fabulous experience with Manchester United at the moment and looks a really good character.”
England’s midfield looks to be pretty settled at this stage, with Declan Rice and Jude Bellingham no-brainers to start in Germany, while Southgate is likely to remain loyal to Jordan Henderson, whose experience will be welcome.
James Maddison and Conor Gallagher are also in this squad, while Trent Alexander-Arnold will hopefully be fit come the summer and can do a role there. Missing out this time were Kalvin Phillips and James Ward-Prowse as they toil at West Ham, plus Curtis Jones, but if injuries strike, you’d imagine Southgate would look to the Hammers duo before parachuting the inexperienced Mainoo in at the last minute.
Mainoo’s case is not helped by the fact that England will start as one of the favourites to lift the trophy this summer, but as another famous Mancunian once said: ‘the past was yours, but the future’s mine.’
His time will come.
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