James Maddison has become the first player to be cut from Gareth Southgate ’s final 26-man squad.
Tottenham midfielder Maddison left the England camp after being told he was one of the seven to miss out amid fierce competition for the wide and forward areas. West Ham ’s Jarrod Bowen has been in better form but Southgate does not need to submit his squad to UEFA until Friday night at 11pm.
However, players are certain to get clues about who will be cut from the team selection ahead of Friday’s friendly with Iceland when it will be hard to imagine any players not going to the Euros will be involved. Southgate will axe one 'keeper, his defence has big numbers because he was concerned over fitness issues with Harry Maguire and Luke Shaw while Curtis Jones may struggle to get into midfield.
It is unlikely that England will take three centre forwards so Ollie Watkins or Ivan Toney could be at risk. Southgate is unlikely to have seen anything yet to change his mind drastically on his starting XI but Kieran Trippier dispelled any fears over his fitness with a solid display at left back against Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Trent Alexander-Arnold might have shown enough to prove he could play in midfield alongside Declan Rice at the Euros but there are still more decisions to be made than Southgate would probably like at this late stage. Maddison is out, so the other six at risk are: Dean Henderson, Jarrad Branthwaite, Jarell Quansah, Joe Gomez, Curtis Jones, Ivan Toney.
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Jack Grealish looks set to make the cut after Southgate was asked directly about his chances of being axed ahead of the Bosnia game. “I don’t think we’re defining that just yet. We know where we’re likely to be,” the England boss replied.
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“It’s hard to be quite so specific because we keep sitting down and saying, ‘Okay, if it’s this or this’. But then somebody else in the room says: ‘Yeah, but what about if lose that player there, or that one doesn’t come through with his injury? Do we need another one in this area?’
“Time is our friend this week. It’s worth using the time. [The Bosnia match] could throw up another physical issue and then we’ve got something else in the mix. Fortunately, we’re used to dealing with all of this, we’re not worried about it.”
Your turn! Which seven players would you drop from the England squad? Give us your picks in the comments section
Jack Grealish is set to be included in Gareth Southgate's 26-man squad (Richard Sellers/Sportsphoto/Allstar via Getty Images)Predicted final England squad
Goalkeepers: Jordan Pickford, Aaron Ramsdale, James Trafford
Defenders: Lewis Dunk, Marc Guehi, Ezri Konsa, Harry Maguire, Luke Shaw, John Stones, Kieran Trippier, Kyle Walker
Midfielders: Trent Alexander-Arnold, Conor Gallagher, Kobbie Mainoo, Declan Rice, Adam Wharton.
Forwards: Jude Bellingham, Jarrod Bowen, Eberechi Eze, Phil Foden, Jack Grealish, Anthony Gordon, Harry Kane, Cole Palmer, Bukayo Saka, Ollie Watkins
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