Following the bitter disappointment of the World Cup in Qatar, which saw England knocked out in the quarter-finals, fans will be hopeful that EURO 2024 is finally the time ‘football comes home’.
Many would consider the current crop of England players among some of the best in the world. The term ‘golden generation’ is most certainly applicable to this squad, and after nearly touching gold at the last European Championship, now, more than ever, is the time to end the 58-year wait for a trophy.
So Football FanCast has taken a look at 10 left-field picks that Gareth Southgate should consider when selecting his squad.
Lewis Dunk – Brighton
Lewis Dunk has been in the England setup previously. The 31-year-old centre-back made his debut in November 2018 against the United States, but despite being a consistent performer for Brighton & Hove Albion since, he’s only picked up two caps.
Having captained his side to a top-six finish last term, thus qualifying for the Europa League, Dunk has got the nod for the latest squad – though whether he’ll be in the reckoning come June remains to be seen.
He stands at a towering 6 foot 4 tall, making him an imposing physical presence, but he is also comfortable with the ball at his feet. Remarkably, Dunk had the most touches in the Premier League last season, bettering the tally of second-placed Rodri by 157.
As such, it would suggest the Seagulls skipper is well-suited to Southgate’s philosophy of building play out from the back and being composed against a pressing system.
Angel Gomes – Lille
Angel Gomes currently plies his trade out in France with Lille. The 22-year-old made 39 appearances for the Ligue 1 outfit last year, scoring three goals whilst laying on six assists.
The Manchester United youth product can play across a number of roles in the midfield, and at the Under-21 European Championship in the summer, Gomes operated as a deep-lying playmaker, receiving the ball off the centre-backs and being an integral part of the build-up phase.
Should Southgate want to play a double-pivot, Gomes surely has to be considered. Imagine him and Declan Rice, with Jude Bellingham more advanced…
Anthony Gordon – Newcastle United
Eyebrows were raised when Newcastle United forked out £45m to sign Anthony Gordon in January, and his first four or five months in Tyneside weren’t particularly inspiring.
But similarly to Gomes, Gordon’s stock rose at the Under-21 EURO. Despite being a winger by trade, he played through the middle as a centre-forward at the tournament, registering three goal contributions in five starts.
His glittering form in the summer has continued this season with the Magpies, displaying numerous impactful performances and contributing with four goal contributions in seven league outings.
Admittedly, competition is rife in the forward line of England’s senior setup, but he does offer something slightly different to the rest, and versatility is always welcome at tournaments.
Rico Lewis – Manchester City
Manchester City’s treble-winning full-back Rico Lewis enjoyed a sporadic, yet quite brilliant breakout season last year. The 18-year-old started 10 league games, often featuring as a right-back, but even as a defensive midfielder at times.
Playing under Pep Guardiola will be invaluable for Lewis’ development and he could be a viable option for Southgate next year if he decides to play the fluid 3-2-4-1 formation we’ve seen deployed at City.
The Spaniard waxed lyrical about Lewis following his performance last week against RB Leipzig in the Champions League.
“What a player! What a player! I’ve been a manager for 14, 15 years and lucky to train one of the best players in the world in Barcelona.
“To find a player like him playing in the pockets, how he has to move as a holding midfielder, moving in the spaces, he is one of the best I’ve ever trained by far,” Guardiola said.
With England regulars John Stones and Kyle Walker already familiar with the system, Lewis could be a perfect understudy should any injuries occur.
Alex Scott – Bournemouth
The former Bristol City midfielder won last season’s EFL Championship Young Player of the Year award, beating Sunderland’s loanee star Amad Diallo.
Now at Bournemouth in the Premier League, Scott was rumoured with a big-money switch to multiple top-flight sides, including Serie A giants Inter.
Robins boss Nigel Pearson was full of praise for the 19-year-old during his time at Ashton Gate and believes he has the qualities to play for England at senior level.
“No doubt about that I think he’ll play for England and I think he’ll go on to the top of the game. We want him to continue to play for us for as long as possible, but we’ll see how that goes,” Pearson said.
The Guernsey-born midfielder made 49 appearances last season, netting two goals whilst providing five assists. He is yet to make his Cherries debut as he continues to recover from a knee injury.
Whether EURO 2024 comes too soon for Scott, we’ll have to see, but there is little doubt of his lofty potential.
Morgan Gibbs-White – Nottingham Forest
Like Gordon, Morgan Gibbs-White is another player who moved for big money to many fans’ surprise. The Wolves academy graduate joined Premier League new boys Nottingham Forest in 2022 for a fee that could rise to £42.5m.
However, his performances have justified that price tag. He won the Fans’ Player of the Season award last term and was an integral part of Forest’s Premier League survival.
The 23-year-old registered 13 goal contributions and there were reports suggesting Southgate was seriously considering him for an England call-up back in March, but that failed to come to fruition – as has a call-up this time around.
Steve Cooper spoke of Gibbs-White’s desire to represent England at senior level.
“I know he’d love to go and make the final step with England. But he’s only going to do that by doing what he’s been doing for us. You can improve naturally through playing – that’s so important for young players – to get as many games as they can,” Cooper said.
Fikayo Tomori – Milan
Fikayo Tomori was one of the controversial exclusions from the World Cup squad last year.
The AC Milan centre-back was a key member of his side’s Scudetto win during the 2021/22 campaign, and was once again last term, helping his side reach the Champions League semi-finals for the first time since 2007.
Speaking in March, Southgate admitted his concerns regarding mistakes in the 25-year-old’s game.
“Sometimes players making fewer key errors leading to goals in that position can be important. Fik had a good game at Tottenham the other day, which was in England and so had more spotlight. But there have been quite a few errors this season. The great thing is he is playing at a big club. There are high expectations every time,” the England boss said.
Notwithstanding that, Tomori was called up to the previous squad and has again been granted the opportunity to represent his nation this month.
He’ll be well-placed for a seat on the plane to Germany next summer if he can take his chance, though you still feel he has it all to do.
Marcus Edwards – Sporting CP
Sporting CP right-winger Marcus Edwards had a marvellous campaign last term. The former Tottenham Hotspur academy player netted 12 times and contributed 14 assists across all competitions.
His cultured left foot paired with his ability to slalom through defenders, will naturally draw comparisons to Lionel Messi. And of course, that’s not to say he’s on the Argentinian’s level, but he certainly has the attributes to create special moments out of nothing.
Take the video below as an example – fast forward to exactly two minutes and you’ll see just how good the little 5ft 5 magician can be:
Edwards’ head coach, Ruben Amorim, believes he is good enough to play for England.
Speaking last September, the 38-year-old said: “Marcus is a very talented player. He’s one of the best players for playing between the lines. He took a little while to adapt to the Portuguese lifestyle but he has so much talent. He can get much better.
“He can even get to the English national team. He has to focus more on training and all that is around it. Football is not just matches, it’s everything in between.
“I trust him a lot. I know he can grow a lot. He has a long way to go, but I think we did excellent business in signing him.”
James Trafford – Burnley
James Trafford is another player who majorly impressed at the Under-21 European Championship. The Burnley goalkeeper didn’t concede a single goal at the tournament, while his heroics in the final will live long in the memory.
Burnley agreed a £15m deal to bring the 20-year-old to Turf Moor despite him not playing above the level of League One.
Trafford enjoyed a fruitful loan at Bolton Wanderers last season, helping the club achieve a fifth-placed finish before suffering a heartbreaking play-off semi-final defeat to Barnsley.
It remains unlikely that the City youth product will force his way beyond the likes of Jordan Pickford and Aaron Ramsdale in time for EURO 2024, but it’s certainly not impossible.
Cole Palmer – Chelsea
Cole Palmer completed a £42.5m move from Manchester City to Chelsea in the summer and has flourished since arriving at Stamford Bridge.
After his Community Shield final goal for the Citizens and a man-of-the-match performance in the UEFA Super Cup final, it was quite surprising he was allowed to depart.
Palmer’s early season form at City has translated into a royal blue shirt and he netted his first Premier League goal in the recent 4-1 away victory against Burnley whilst also providing an assist.
If his sparkling form continues, he could be well-placed for an England call-up ahead of the tournament next year, which could yet earn him a seat on the plane to Germany.
