Gareth Southgate has rung the chances for England’s upcoming friendlies against Switzerland and Cote d'Ivoire, handing out first call-ups to a trio of players.
Southampton full-back Kyle Walker-Peters and Crystal Palace defensive duo Marc Guehi and Tyrick Mitchell could all make their debuts for England after being called up for the first time . The trio have been rewarded for strong form this season in the Premier League and their recognition offers hope to other uncapped players.
Throughout his tenure, Southgate has shown a willingness to go against the grain and select players outside of the Big Six. With the Qatar World Cup kicking off on November 21, there is still plenty of time to catch the England manager’s eye.
So with that in mind, Mirror Football has compiled an XI of the best and most promising uncapped players, from England Under-21s stars to other in-form players, who could still sneak into Southgate’s squad for the World Cup.
GK: Etienne Green
Southgate’s squad for the upcoming Wembley friendlies includes Jordan Pickford, Nick Pope and Sam Johnstone after Aaron Ramsdale pulled out through injury. Beyond those names there is arguably a dearth of other options. Only five Premier League clubs have an Englishman as their current first-choice keeper. Three of those are named above and the other two – Fraser Forster and Ben Foster – are already capped.
Dean Henderson, Alex McCarthy and Karl Darlow are currently not playing regularly for their clubs, while Sheffield United’s Wes Foderingham will struggle to get noticed playing in the Championship.
The next cab off the rank could therefore come abroad. Green is forging an unusual path for himself, playing for Saint-Etienne in Ligue 1, where he has made 15 appearances this season. Included in Lee Carsley’s under-21s squad, the 21-year-old could make the step up in the near future.
RB: Tariq Lamptey
Right-back is an area of ridiculous strength for England, but after Walker-Peters, Lamptey could well be the next to make it ahead of the likes of Southampton's Tino Livramento, West Ham's Ben Johnson, Leicester's James Justin and Middlesbrough's Djed Spence, who is impressing on loan with Nottingham Forest.
Lamptey has eye-catching pace and offers a consistent threat down the wing, while he is also adept defending one-on-one. The 21-year-old has bounced back from injury to make 24 appearances so far this season for Brighton.
CB: Adam Webster
Another player benefiting from Graham Potter’s progressive style at Brighton is Webster, who was in contention for a call-up earlier this season before injury struck. The 27-year-old played for England under-19s and has the ability to play out from the back that Southgate looks for.
There is perhaps no coincidence that the Seagulls have lost five successive Premier League matches since Webster picked up an injury against Manchester United on February 15.
CB: Max Kilman
Kilman has been one of the breakthrough stars of the Premier League season. The 24-year-old centre-back has cemented his place in Wolves ’ side by starting all but two of their league games and deserves a lot of credit for being a part of a side that has the fourth-best defensive record – behind only the current top three.
Chelsea ’s Trevoh Chalobah is another rising star of a similar mould who could well make the step up from the under-21s.
LB: Luke Thomas
The lack of left-back options comes in stark contrast to the opposite flank where England have an embarrassment of riches. Leicester City’s Thomas has enjoyed a strong season, however, with Ryan Bertand’s move to the club yet to work out.
The 20-year-old has been successfully converted from a winger to play further back and his natural attacking instincts shine through on the overlap often provided by Harvey Barnes cutting inside.
CM: Curtis Jones
Jones has been forced to bide his time at Liverpool, whose brilliant form has left him with limited opportunities under Jurgen Klopp. Nevertheless, he has contributed three assists and one goal in 22 appearances for the Reds this season and is a part of the under-21s set-up.
The Merseyside midfielder has the benefit of learning from the likes of Thiago and Jordan Henderson at the club level and once more frequent opportunities come it’s likely his skillset will be required at senior level.
CM: Jacob Ramsey
Another one of the breakout stars of the season. Ramsey has been electric since Steven Gerrard took over at Aston Villa, where he has six goals and an assist in 27 Premier League games this season.
The 20-year-old is a throwback box-to-box midfielder who has a great engine and a real eye for goal. He will be allowed to develop further under Gerrard and Carsley, but looks a hugely exciting prospect for the near future.
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CM: Harvey Elliott
Elliott could have been closer to the England senior squad, had he not picked up a serious injury early in the season while playing for Liverpool. As it is he is in the under-21s squad for the current international break. The 18-year-old’s maturity has won praise from Jurgen Klopp while his adaptability is another impressive asset, with the former Fulham player capable of starting in a central or wide position.
There are other options out wide, but Demarai Gray, who made a whopping 26 appearances for England under-21s, has seen his form stall recently, while team-mate Anthony Gordon is in the same boat in a struggling Everton side.
LW: Dwight McNeil
McNeil has been regularly mentioned as a potential England player for a few seasons now thanks to his performances for Burnley. Now 22, he has outgrown the under-21s set-up, where he made 10 appearances, and will need some consistent form to turn Southgate’s head.
McNeil has benefited from playing for Burnley, who have trusted him to the tune of 136 appearances in four seasons, but needs to up his goal contributions, having returned just one assist and no goals in the Premier League this season.
Crystal Palace’s Michael Olise is another stand-out option, but could be destined for France as he is currently a part of the country’s under-21s squad.
RW: Jarrod Bowen
Bowen is one player who would very likely have been called up by Southgate had he not picked up an unfortunate injury. The versatile forward has improved rapidly since joining West Ham from Hull City £22million back in February 2020.
He has enjoyed a wonderful season, scoring 12 goals and recording nine assists in 39 appearances across all competitions for the Hammers and has earned admiring glances from Liverpool. The 25-year-old prefers to start on the right side of attack but is capable of playing centrally too.
ST: Ivan Toney
An outside pick perhaps, but Toney has undoubtedly impressed since Brentford joined the Premier League in August. After taking the Championship by storm, he has 13 goals and three assists in 28 appearances in all competitions this season and looks completely at home in the top flight.
Crucially, the 26-year-old offers something different to Southgate – especially if Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s form does not pick up after injury. Toney combines physicality with mobility and a good technique. If injuries strike then a call-up could be closer than you think.
