The players that could sneak into Gareth Southgate’s England squad for Euros | OneFootball

Gareth Southgate is set to announce his provisional England squad for the European Championships on Tuesday with several places up for grabs.

Injury problems and the excellent form of some players to end the season has given the England boss several selection headaches ahead of the tournament.

But thanks to the squad size being extended from 23 to 26, Southgate now has more options at his disposal.

The Hayters TV team pick one player each that they think could sneak into the squad and why…

Harvey Elliott

Dan Bennett: The young Liverpool midfielder has been in fine form in the second half of the season, recording three assists in the final three games of the campaign. England are lacking options in midfield and Elliott’s creativity and quality, as well as his versatility, would be a valuable asset for Southgate.

Tyrick Mitchell

Andrew Smith. With Gareth Southgate enduring a headache with his left-back selection lately, with Luke Shaw and Ben Chilwell both struggling with injuries of late, Mitchell could get a surprise call-up based on his performances for Palace over the last two months. Boasting an 86.7% tackle success rate in the Premier League, Mitchell is comfortable in 1v1 situations, is assured in possession and is also a threat going forward, contributing to five goals for Palace this season.

Ebere Eze

Nathan Edwards: England are blessed with a wealth of attackers, but not many can get you as excited as Eze. The Crystal Palace star has hit frightening form in the closing stages of the season, scoring five goals and collecting two assists in his last six games. He would be an excellent option for Southgate’s squad and could come off the bench to add something different for England.

Elle Hayter: Eze’s exceptional dribbling, close control and his ability to create chances and provide a creative spark in the centre of the pitch would be a great option for Southgate. His constant desire to move the ball forward and pick up threatening positions on the pitch is the spark England need if they want to succeed at this summer’s Euros.

James Trafford

Gerry Cox: James Trafford may be out of favour at Burnley, but he could sneak in as the third goalkeeper, who is never likely to play. Trafford was England’s hero when they won the u-21 Euros last summer, and was called up in March, so he is one for the future and would benefit from the experience.

Dan Ludlam: Dier has put his Tottenham struggles firmly behind him and has established himself as one of Bayern’s first-choice centre backs. He played well against Arsenal over the two legs of their Champions League quarter final and was a commanding figure as Munich narrowly went out to Real Madrid at the Bernabeu. With uncertainties over the fitness of John Stones and Harry Maguire, Dier may prove a good option for Southgate with his past tournament experience.

Jarrad Branthwaite

Stan Smith: The young centre-half has been a standout performer at Everton. Whilst there are many strengths within the current England squad, the central defence has been one of the weaker areas of the team during recent years. Branthwaite is good enough to be in the squad now and has all the qualities to be England’s leader at the back in the future. There is little downside in offering him major tournament experience this summer.

Jadon Sancho

Nick Callow: The Manchester United outcast reminded the footballing world of his mercurial talent in the Champions League semi-finals against Paris St-Germain for loan club Borussia Dortmund. The 24-year-old clearly thrives in the big matches and seems to have his confidence back from his spell back in Germany. Unlikely to start, but what an impact sub if needed.

Ross Barkley

James St Denis: The former Everton and Chelsea player has been a revelation for Luton after arriving on a free transfer in the summer. Under Rob Edwards, the midfielder has been able to flourish as a deep lying playmaker, especially against much superior opponents where his physicality allowed him to excel. Arguably the fittest he has been since his Everton days, Barkley would be one of the older inclusions in the squad, but his experience would be valuable to the younger midfield options Gareth Southgate would have at his disposal.

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