Gareth Southgate has announced that Liverpool defender Jarell Quansah is still with England and on standby for Euro 2024 after failing to make the final 26-man squad
Liverpool defender Jarell Quansah is still with the England squad and on standby for Euro 2024, Gareth Southgate has revealed.
The highly-rated centre-back, 21, was a surprise inclusion in England’s 33-man provisional squad ahead of this summer’s tournament in Germany but is one of seven players who have since been cut by Southgate.
However, the Three Lions boss has confirmed that Quansah is on standby for Euro 2024 and still with the squad ahead of Friday night’s match against Iceland.
England regular Harry Maguire has failed to make the squad due to a calf injury while there are also injury concerns over other defenders.
Marc Guehi underwent knee surgery during the second half of the season while Lewis Dunk, another of England’s centre-back options, is yet to make a full return to fitness.
Southgate confirmed during his pre-match press conference that Dunk will not be available for selection in England’s final tune-up match before the Euros against Iceland on Friday.
Quansah’s Liverpool team-mate, Joe Gomez, and Aston Villa defender Ezri Konsa are England’s other centre-back options while other players, including Kyle Walker, can also fill in centrally.
Jarrad Branthwaite was the other defender who missed out alongside Quansah and Maguire. And despite his strong season with Everton, Southgate insisted that it ‘wouldn’t have been right’ to select the 21-year-old ahead of other players.
Southgate said of the decision to omit Branthwaite: “It’s a bit early for Jarrad. He’s had a fabulous season & was good to get him on. In an ideal world you would like that balance of left-footers. But to have him in over the others, that would not be the right call at this stage.”
He went on to admit that injuries and squad numbers played a part in his decision not to gamble on Maguire, who trained individually at St. Georges’ Park on Thursday.
Southgate added: “Trent can play both [midfield and defence]. I think we were 9 in the last couple of tournaments so we’re the same. That was part of reason why we couldn’t take Harry [Maguire]. We would have had to have taken a 10th and the balance wouldn’t have been right.”
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