GARETH SOUTHGATE, WHO was today rewarded with a new England contract, has included Mason Mount, James Maddison and Jadon Sancho in his latest Three Lions squad.
England face Croatia in the Uefa Nations League on 12 October, before facing Spain three days later.
And Southgate has included Mount, the Chelsea attacking midfielder currently on loan at Derby County, in his selection for the first time, while Leicester City star Maddison and Borussia Dortmund’s Sancho are also in line to win their first caps.
Southgate has picked a total of 25 players for the two games, including four goalkeepers; Fulham’s Marcus Bettinelli, Stoke City’s Jack Butland, Everton’s Jordan Pickford and Southampton stopper Alex McCarthy.
A total of three Liverpool players have been picked — Trent Alexander-Arnold, Joe Gomez and Jordan Henderson — while Tottenham have a total of five players in the squad; Danny Rose, Kieran Trippier, Eric Dier, Harry Winks and Harry Kane.
Mount’s inclusion is one of the most headline-grabbing, given that he is currently plying his trade in the Championship, while Sancho is an exciting talent who has been performing exceptionally for Borussia Dortmund.
In nine games, he has scored once and provided eight assists.
The likes of Ross Barkley and Danny Welbeck are also included after performing well for Chelsea and Arsenal, but Ruben Loftus-Cheek misses out, as does Burnley number one Joe Hart.
Meanwhile, Southgate’s new deal will see him through to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and see his pay rise to a reported £3 million per year.
“I am delighted to have the opportunity to lead the national team through the next two major tournaments,” said Southgate, whose previous deal was due to expire after the Euro 2020 finals.
“The job remains an incredible privilege and a true honour. Experiencing at first hand how the nation united behind the team this summer was something special and it will be great to see how far this young squad can go in the years to come.”
Southgate, who ultimately saw England beaten 2-1 by Croatia in their first World Cup semi-final since 1990, said he was fortunate to have a great back-up team — his assistant Steve Holland was also awarded a new contract, and the players performing on the pitch.
“I must acknowledge the hard work and commitment of my staff and the players over the last two years,” said Southgate.
“I have learned a great deal from them and their passion and professionalism in representing England has been an inspiration to my own work.”
FA chief executive Martin Glenn said Southgate, who replaced Sam Allardyce after he left under a cloud only 67 days into the role in 2016, had restored genuine optimism in England’s ability to be a viable contender for trophies.
“Securing Gareth on a longer-term contract was always a priority for us,” said Glenn.
“He has performed remarkably well and has given everyone the belief that England can compete on a world stage again.”
England squad:
Goalkeepers: Marcus Bettinelli, Jack Butland, Alex McCarthy, Jordan Pickford.
Defenders: Trent Alexander-Arnold, Joe Gomez, Harry Maguire, Danny Rose, Luke Shaw, John Stones, James Tarkowski, Kieran Trippier, Kyle Walker.
Midfielders: Ross Barkley, Nathaniel Chalobah, Eric Dier, Jordan Henderson, Mason Mount, Harry Winks.
Forwards: Harry Kane, James Maddison, Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho, Raheem Sterling, Danny Welbeck.
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