England manager Sarina Wiegman is currently preparing her 23-player squad for the Women's World Cup which kicks off in less than a month.
The Lionesses face Haiti on July 22, with games against Denmark and China to follow in Group D as the European champions aim to conquer the world stage. Wiegman will already have to try and come up with a winning formula without Fran Kirby and Beth Mead, as well as skipper Leah Williamson, with all three missing through long-term injury.
But one English attacker will miss out on the trip to Australia purely through preference, rather than fitness issues. Leah Galton was one of the WSL's outstanding wide players last season.
The 29-year-old played a fundamental role in Man Utd's unlikely WSL title challenge, with 10 goals and four assists in just 20 league appearances. If available, her form would have had her firmly in contention for Wiegman's final squad of 23.
Whether scoring away at the Etihad against local rivals Man City or grabbing a crucial goal when United were struggling away to Spurs, she was never far from the big moment. Yet when the final selection was announced, Galton's name was hardly mentioned. This is because the former Bayern Munich and Leeds player has taken herself out of international reckoning.
Galton refuses to be selected for England duty, having withdrawn from a training camp back in 2018 and not having featured since. The United forward remains uncapped, despite her status as one of the WSL's most consistent players over the last two seasons.
England's interest in utilising Galton has remained this season, particularly with Beth Mead's ACL injury in November meaning she was always unlikely to make the finals. But she has remained firm in her stance.
"I'm really getting my balance right," Galton said earlier this year, explaining her decision. "I'm not going away and travelling on international camps so I have time off and have that time to be a normal person in a sense.
"I can go away with my family and have overnight stays with them. It worries me a little bit that if I change that, I wouldn't have that balance right. Right now, I'm happy doing what I'm doing.
"It's always nice to hear that England are asking where my head's at because you can see the talents of those players there and to be compared to that is nice. But I'm so happy right now doing what I'm doing."
Galton's decision means Wiegman will instead use Lauren James and Katie Robinson to challenge Lauren Hemp and Chloe Kelly in the wide areas. If there was any time to reverse her stance, this summer would have been the time, but it now looks extremely unlikely that Galton will play for her country again.
She says that although her policy does attract criticism on social media, she refuses to let the noise affect her.
"I know some people still think: 'What's she doing? Why is she turning down this?'," she added. "But until they're in his situation and play every day in this line of work, I don't think they'll ever understand. So for me it's about focusing on what I think about it and keep playing well and performing for my club.
"But I fully back them and I'm really excited to watch them this summer. And I think they'll (England) do really well."
She will no doubt come back refreshed and ready for another strong season with her club in September when the WSL returns. But there is no doubt that for many Lionesses' fans there will be a tinge of what might have been, even if Galton herself is comfortable with her position.
Former United manager Casey Stoney also spoke publicly on Galton's decision, saying back in 2018: "Playing for your national team is something that Leah and other players dream of, however I am strong on a player's needs coming first and seeing them as human beings.
"Leah is just starting to fall back in love with the game again and I fully support her in not being ready for that next step yet."
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