Manchester City quintet called up to England Under-21s squad
Rico Lewis is one in every of 5 Manchester City gamers who has been called up for England Under-21s responsibility for his or her upcoming worldwide friendlies in opposition to France and Croatia later this month.
The 18-year-old’s spectacular breakthrough season with Pep Guardiola‘s facet has been rewarded along with his first-ever call-up to the Younger Lions’ Beneath-21 set-up.
Since and together with his senior City debut in August, Lewis has made 17 appearances throughout all competitions this season, scoring his first and solely aim in a 3-1 Champions League victory over Sevilla in November.
The academy graduate has repeatedly pressured his manner into Guardiola’s facet forward of full-backs Kyle Walker and Joao Cancelo, the latter of whom now plies his commerce on mortgage at Bayern Munich.
Lewis, who has beforehand represented England at Beneath-16s, Beneath-18s and Beneath-19s degree, had been tipped to be chosen for Gareth Southgate‘s senior England squad this month.
Nonetheless, the right-back will as an alternative hyperlink up with Lee Carsley‘s Under-21s facet together with fellow Man City children Cole Palmer, James McAtee, Tommy Doyle and James Trafford.
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Palmer has spent the previous couple of seasons in Guardiola’s senior squad and the versatile 20-year-old attacker has impressed for the England Under-21s since receiving his first call-up in September, scoring two targets in 4 appearances.
In the meantime, McAtee, Doyle and Trafford are all at the moment gaining beneficial first-team expertise out on mortgage, with the previous two taking part in repeatedly for Championship promotion chasers Sheffield United.
McAtee – who made his England Under-21s debut in June final yr – has contributed with 5 targets and two assists in 34 video games at Bramall Lane, whereas fellow midfielder Doyle – a six-cap Beneath-21 worldwide – has recorded three targets and 5 assists in 28 matches for the Blades.
In the meantime, goalkeeper Trafford has been a first-team common between the sticks for League One facet Bolton Wanderers this season, conserving 21 clear sheets in 41 video games throughout all competitions, whereas he has additionally featured twice for the Younger Lions.
The likes of Liverpool’s Harvey Elliott, Chelsea’s Noni Madueke and Arsenal duo Emile Smith Rowe and Folarin Balogun – the latter of whom is on mortgage at Reims – have additionally been included in Carsley’s 26-man squad.
England Under-21s will face France on the King Energy Stadium on March 25, earlier than taking up Croatia at Craven Cottage three days later.
ENGLAND UNDER-21s SQUAD IN FULL:
Goalkeepers: Josh Griffiths (West Bromwich Albion), Anthony Patterson (Sunderland), Carl Rushworth (Lincoln City), James Trafford (Bolton Wanderers – on mortgage from Manchester City)
Defenders: Max Aarons (Norwich City), Jarrad Braithwaite (PSV Eindhoven – on mortgage from Everton), Levi Colwill (Brighton & Hove Albion – on mortgage from Chelsea), Charlie Cresswell (Millwall – on mortgage from Leeds United), Ben Johnson (West Ham United), Rico Lewis (Manchester City), Djed Spence (Rennes – on mortgage from Tottenham Hotspur), Luke Thomas (Leicester City)
Midfielders: Tommy Doyle (Sheffield United – on mortgage from Manchester City), Harvey Elliott (Liverpool), James Garner (Everton), Angel Gomes (Lille), Curtis Jones (Liverpool), James McAtee (Sheffield United – on mortgage from Manchester City), Jacob Ramsey (Aston Villa), Oliver Skipp (Tottenham Hotspur)
Forwards: Cameron Archer (Middlesborough – on mortgage from Aston Villa), Folarin Balogun (Reims – on mortgage from Arsenal), Morgan Gibbs-White (Nottingham Forest), Noni Madueke (Chelsea), Cole Palmer (Manchester City), Emile Smith Rowe (Arsenal)
