Manchester United defender Maya Le Tissier has been called into the England squad ahead of the Lionesses ' crunch Euro 2025 qualifiers against France.
Full-back Niamh Charles was forced to withdraw from the squad on Monday due to a calf injury after arriving at St. George's Park for the England camp. The 24-year-old is set to return to Chelsea to continue her recovery.
The reigning European champions face France in a crunch double header at the end of the month as they bid to defend their 2022 title.
And Le Tissier has been called up from the stand-by list by manager Sarina Wiegman to replace Charles for a fierce double header that could decide the course of qualification.
The United defender was originally on a four-player standby list alongside Kayla Rendell, Missy Bo Kearns and Jessica Naz.
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But injury to Charles has forced Wiegman's hand. Le Tissier, who recently lifted the Women's FA Cup trophy with United, was first called up in November 2022. But she has struggled to impart herself in Wiegman's squad permanently, in part due to the Lionesses boss envisioning Le Tissier more as a right-back.
The 22-year-old predominantly operates at centre-back under Marc Skinner at United, a position which saw her named United's joint Player's Player of the Year alongside Lionesses midfielder Ella Toone.
Ella Toone & Maya Le Tissier share the Manchester United Women's Player's Player of the Year award (2024 Manchester United FC)Yet, it's a position which England are heavily stacked in with Chelsea duo Millie Bright and Jess Carter and Arsenal's Leah Williamson and Lotte Wubben-Moy preferred by Wiegman.
Earlier this month Wiegman said Le Tissier's predominance at centre-back for United could be hindering the defender from featuring more regularly in her squad.
“I think, absolutely, the competition in the back is high, and Maya of course plays mostly in the right full-back position if she comes in. We saw that in February too," she said.
“In the centre-back position, I choose other players who I think are ahead of her. Those are the conversations I have with her all the time.”
Lionesses No 1 Mary Earps and Maya Le Tissier have honed a good chemistry at Man Utd (The FA/The FA via Getty Images)Wiegman's side currently sit second in the group behind the French after securing four points from their opening two games in Group Three. England salvaged a point against Sweden with a late 1-1 draw, before defeating the Republic of Ireland 2-0. France meanwhile defeated both Sweden and the Republic of Ireland by 1-0 scorelines.
The top two teams in each League A group will qualify directly for the final alongside hosts Switzerland, while the remaining seven spots will be decided by two rounds of play-offs played between October and December 2024.
England host France at St James' Park on Friday 31 May, before travelling to Saint Etienne on 4 June.
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