Future England internationals
Gareth Southgate has largely stuck faith with the group of players who finished fourth at the World Cup in his latest squad, but the next few months could see several new faces integrated into the national team setup.
In this slideshow, we pick out 12 players who we expect to receive their first England caps before the end of 2018...
Ben Chilwell (Leicester)
Luke Shaw has earned himself a recall to the England setup after a promising start to the season, with Ashley Young clearly not the future at left-back. Having relegated title-winner Christian Fuchs to the bench at the King Power Stadium, Chilwell will hope his displays for Leicester haven’t gone unnoticed.
A modern full-back who regularly makes eye-catching bursts down the flanks, the Foxes youth product would be a perfect fit for a wing-back berth if Southgate sticks with the three-man defence that served England well in Russia.
Phil Foden (Manchester City)
A Golden Ball winner when England triumphed at the Under-17 World Cup in 2017, Foden will almost certainly receive his maiden call-up to the senior squad in the next 12 months. The Manchester City schemer should be more involved at club level this term, even if he’s still waiting for the first Premier League start of his career.
An incredibly gifted youngster who’s already been bestowed the moniker ‘Stockport Iniesta’, Foden is a special talent who could be an England mainstay for years to come. It would be a huge surprise if he wasn’t included in one of Southgate’s squads before the end of 2018.
Demarai Gray (Leicester)
Gray is approaching his fourth anniversary as a Leicester player, but he’s only just beginning to establish himself as a regular starter. The former Birmingham flyer has missed just 10 minutes of Premier League action so far this season, with Riyad Mahrez’s summer switch to Manchester City having opened the door for the 22-year-old.
Gray netted six goals in 18 games for England’s Under-21s and now looks ready to make the step up to the senior squad in the next few months.
Jack Grealish (Aston Villa)
Grealish’s international future was a major talking point two years ago, with the Aston Villa playmaker eligible for both England and Ireland. He ultimately pledged his allegiance to the Three Lions, but a series of off-field misdemeanours checked his progress as the Villans dropped out of the top flight.
Grealish reminded everyone what he can do last season, however, and if he reproduces his dazzling 2017/18 form this term, a first England cap won’t be too far around the corner. Having come close to joining Tottenham in the summer, the attacking midfielder is a Premier League star – and full international – in the making.
Mason Holgate (Everton)
Marco Silva snapped up Kurt Zouma and Yerry Mina on transfer deadline day, but neither centre-back has turned out for the Toffees in the Premier League at the time of writing. Even when they’re fully fit, the loanees won’t find it easy to dislodge Holgate at the heart of Everton’s backline.
Young, adaptable (he can also play at right-back) and comfortable with the ball at his feet, the 21-year-old ticks many of the boxes which Southgate has based his selection policy since taking charge of the national team in 2016.
James Maddison (Leicester)
Maddison has had little trouble making the step up from the Championship to the Premier League following his summer switch from Norwich. The Leicester man has already helped fill the creative void left by Riyad Mahrez at the King Power Stadium, and his tremendous technical ability means it’s unlikely to be long before Gareth Southgate comes calling.
There’s no space for a No.10 in the 3-5-2 formation England used at the World Cup, but Maddison could play as a forward-thinking No.8 in a midfield three if the Three Lions stick with the setup they used in Russia.
Alfie Mawson (Fulham)
Mawson was always unlikely to follow Swansea down to the Championship when the Welsh outfit lost their place in the Premier League last season, and Fulham won the race for the centre-back’s signature.
The 24-year-old didn’t get on the pitch despite being included in Southgate’s squad for the friendlies against the Netherlands and Italy in March, but the England boss should be more open to handing out debuts now there’s no longer a major tournament on the horizon – which is good news for Mawson and the other 11 hopefuls listed here.
Alex McCarthy (Southampton)
McCarthy found himself out of the Southampton team this time last year, but he’s now firmly established as Mark Hughes’ No.1 and has seen his fine recent form rewarded with an England call-up for the upcoming meetings with Spain and Switzerland.
The 28-year-old remains behind Jordan Pickford and, in all likelihood, Jack Butland at present, but Southgate could hand him his first cap in September’s friendly against the Swiss – particularly as Stoke’s Butland is now plying his trade in the Championship.
Jadon Sancho (Borussia Dortmund)
Once regarded as one of the jewels in Manchester City’s highly-rated academy, Sancho decided his future lay away from the Etihad Stadium in summer 2017 – and events since then seem to have vindicated his decision. The teenager has made 13 Bundesliga appearances for Borussia Dortmund since swapping England for Germany, and he will probably get his first taste of Champions League action in the coming months.
A world champion with England’s Under-17s, the London-born forward can’t be too far away from a first call-up at senior level.
Ryan Sessegnon (Fulham)
Some tipped Sessegnon for a place in England’s World Cup squad, but it was always unlikely that an uncapped 17-year-old would sneak his way into the senior setup having never played a Premier League game. Fulham’s promotion through the play-offs means the winger now has a stage befitting his prodigious talent, and international recognition could soon follow.
Technically gifted and blessed with innate football intelligence, Sessegnon plays with a maturity belying his 18 years. His versatility is another asset, with the youngster capable of playing at left-back, left wing-back or as a winger on either flank.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka (Crystal Palace)
Wan-Bissaka only completed 90 minutes once in August, but that didn’t stop him winning Palace’s Player of the Month prize. An unfortunate red card against Liverpool notwithstanding, the 20-year-old has barely put a foot wrong since breaking into the Eagles' first team in February.
Wan-Bissaka faces stiff competition from Kieran Trippier, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Nathaniel Clyne, while his task will be made even harder if Kyle Walker is restored to his natural position. However, he's also eligible for DR Congo, so England may look to secure his future sooner rather than later.
Callum Wilson (Bournemouth)
Wilson has made a marvellous start to the Premier League campaign, scoring twice in his first four outings for Bournemouth. The ex-Coventry sharp-shooter has bounced back brilliantly from two separate knee injuries since the Cherries’ promotion to the top tier, scoring eight league goals in 2017/18 and establishing himself as Eddie Howe’s first-choice No.9.
With Jamie Vardy having taken a step back from the international scene, there’s a place up for grabs behind Harry Kane in the centre-forward pecking order. If Wilson continues to put the ball in the net at club level, he’ll surely get a chance to show what he can do.
