Gareth Southgate has insisted that Raheem Sterling and Ben White have both been left out of his latest England for football reasons and says the "door is still open" for excluded players to make his Euro 2024 squad.
Neither Chelsea winger Sterling nor Arsenal's White have been included in an England squad since leaving their World Cup base in Qatar for different reasons last winter, both sitting out the last five international camps.
Sterling left the Middle East to the return to the UK after the round-of-16 win over Senegal following a break-in at his family home but returned in time to be on the bench for England's quarter-final defeat to France.
White left the squad for 'personal reasons' ahead of the Senegal game but did not return.
Neither has been named in the latest squad for the upcoming Euro 2024 qualifiers against Malta and North Macedonia but Southgate insists he has no problem with either player, and says he remains open-minded about selections.
"The door is 100 per cent open not only for Raheem but for other players in this squad," Southgate said.
"There’s no doubt about that. We don’t need to know about his quality, his personality. He is a crucial part of why we’ve had the journey we’ve had over the last few years. I can only repeat what I’ve said in the last few squad selection meetings: the team are playing really well.
"We had an exceptional win against Italy last time around. Who do we leave out to put him in? It is as simple as that really."
Asked if Sterling had upset him, Southgate replied: "No. Who am I leaving out to put him in?
"He wasn’t available in March or June so the team had started on a good run. We won in Italy for the first time in 60 years. The two performances in June were excellent. We’ve stuck with that group pretty much through this qualifying campaign.
"We’ve deliberately not made many changes because we felt that’s been fair to the guys who have been in the squad. Performances have been excellent. There is huge competition for places. There is no question Raheem is looking dangerous for his club. He looks invigorated since the start of this season.
"As I said, there are a few players who aren’t in this squad - either they are injured or the door is absolutely open. We will always be open to that. There are players in this squad who missed quite big chunks of time – Kyle Walker, Kieran Trippier – we’ve often had that type of situation. As I say, we are really pleased with the team so there is that continuity."
While Sterling is catching the eye for Chelsea, White continues to be a key player for Mikel Arteta's Arsenal, primarily as a right-back.
Asked if he he had been left out for non-footballing reasons, Southgate said: "No, we’ve got Kyle [Walker], Kieran [Trippier], Trent [Alexander-Arnold], we’ve got Reece James. There’s a couple of good young ones coming through. We are on a good run. The defence are playing well so that’s where we are.
"I assume [Ben is available for selection]. Ben’s been very solid for Arsenal. He is a different profile of full-back. He’s a centre-back playing at full-back really. He’s doing a good job for his club but he’s just behind a couple of other in our reckoning."
Southgate revealed Reece James, the Chelsea right back, did not feel "quite ready" to join up with the squad as he works his way back to full fitness, and said he was doubtful over the readiness of Newcastle forward Callum Wilson to feature this camp.
But Southgate was confident most of his other injury doubts -- namely Bukayo Saka, Jude Bellingham and James Maddison -- would be fit enough to be included in the squad.
"We could lose one today after a scan, we could lose one tomorrow," Southgate said. "We don’t really know.
"You’d be amazed at how complicated it is picking a squad. All clubs are sensitive to information and you are trying to piece everything together. So, I couldn’t be certain that everybody in that squad will be there on Sunday night.
"Varying levels of doubt. Probably Callum Wilson is the biggest doubt. But equally, I am pretty confident the others can get through. They are all keen to be in the squad and that’s a really good sign."
