LONDON (Reuters) – England have handed first call-ups to Chelsea’s Cole Palmer, Manchester City’s Rico Lewis and Aston Villa’s Ezri Konsa for this month’s European Championship qualifiers against Malta and North Macedonia, the Football Association (FA) said on Monday.
Palmer has scored four league goals since joining Chelsea from City on deadline day, including a stoppage-time equaliser in a 4-4 Premier League draw between the sides on Sunday.
Konsa, 26, has played a key role in Villa’s rise to fifth in the league standings. The 18-year-old Lewis has made 10 appearances in all competitions for Premier League champions City.
James Maddison, Lewis Dunk and Callum Wilson, who were named in the initial squad announced last week, have withdrawn due to injury.
Real Madrid’s Jude Bellingham is also an injury doubt, but retains his place in the squad.
England face Malta in Group C at Wembley on Friday, before travelling to play North Macedonia next Monday. Gareth Southgate’s side have qualified for the Euro 2024 finals.
Squad:
Goalkeepers: Sam Johnstone (Crystal Palace), Jordan Pickford (Everton), Aaron Ramsdale (Arsenal)
Defenders: Levi Colwill (Chelsea), Marc Guehi (Crystal Palace), Harry Maguire (Manchester United), Fikayo Tomori (AC Milan), Kieran Trippier (Newcastle United), Kyle Walker (Manchester City), Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa), Rico Lewis (Manchester City)
Midfielders: Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool), Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid), Conor Gallagher (Chelsea), Jordan Henderson (Al-Ettifaq), Kalvin Phillips (Manchester City), Declan Rice (Arsenal), Cole Palmer (Chelsea)
Forwards: Jarrod Bowen (West Ham United), Phil Foden (Manchester City), Jack Grealish (Manchester City), Harry Kane (Bayern Munich), Marcus Rashford (Manchester United), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa)
(Reporting by Aadi Nair in Bengaluru, editing by Ed Osmond)
