Marc Guehi will get a Euros audition as part of England’s final build-up for the tournament.
England boss Gareth Southgate rates the Crystal Palace centre-half highly and is looking at options with Harry Maguire one of those struggling for match fitness. Guehi will get game time in the next week with England due to play Bosnia and Herzegovina at St James’s Park on Monday and Iceland at Wembley next Friday.
The centre-half is seen as the next cab off the rank and a big prospect for the future for his calmness and composure on the ball, tenacious defending and distribution. It may give Guehi a chance to show what he can do with Manchester United defender Maguire still one of Southgate’s most trusted players but he has missed the tail end of the season through injury.
Maguire, Luke Shaw and Anthony Gordon all reported early for the England training camp at Middlesbrough’s base in the North East this week. Shaw is facing the biggest race against time to prove his fitness for the final 26-man squad but Maguire and Gordon have also been carrying injuries and missed their final games of the season for their respective clubs.
Defence is the biggest issue facing Southgate who is also aware that John Stones did start the FA Cup final but was also lacking game time with Manchester City during the run-in. Guehi also just came back for the final two games of the season for Palace but is confident of being ready and able to partner Stones.
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And if Guehi comes through the next two games then it looks a strong chance that he could even start the tournament with England kicking off their group matches against Serbia on June 16. That gives Southgate nearly a fortnight to get players ready but he must trim the 33-man training squad to 26 by June 2.
The Manchester City and United players have been given time off after the FA Cup final but Stones and Jack Grealish may join up early to boost their match fitness. Real Madrid star Jude Bellingham is not expected to be involved in either friendly because he is playing in the Champions League final. He will report for duty but is likely to be rested until the tournament kicks off.
(The FA via Getty Images)Southgate will face the media on Sunday ahead of the Bosnia and Herzegovina friendly and may update on the progress of the injured players but Shaw remains a big doubt. England could also look at Brighton ’s Lewis Dunk in the next two friendlies and he has alternatives in youngsters Jarell Quansah and Jarrad Branthwaite.
Southgate has spoken warmly about Liverpool defender Quansah who kept France centre-back Ibrahima Konate out of Jurgen Klopp ’s side at the end of his breakthrough season. Branthwaite, who made 35 Premier League appearances for Everton in 2023-24, was called up for the March friendly matches with Brazil and Belgium, but did not feature. Quansah and Branthwaite will be hoping to make their debuts in the next two games.
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