JUDE BELLINGHAM has been ruled out of England’s two Euro 2024 qualifiers due to an injury but has still reported to St George’s Park.
The Dortmund midfielder, set to clinch a move to Real Madrid, is still struggling with the knee problem which saw him miss the last two Bundesliga matches of the season.
England, who won their first two qualifiers against Italy and Ukraine in March, travel to Malta on Friday and then face North Macedonia at Old Trafford on Monday.
Bellingham is undergoing treatment at SGP but will return home this week and will not travel with the squad to either match.
Spanish giants Real have agreed a £115m fee for the teenager although it could be up to another two weeks before the transfer goes through.
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Although Gareth Southgate held a training session at the national football centre yesterday, Manchester City’s partying players will not have to link up with the squad until tomorrow evening meaning their first session will be on Wednesday.
As a result, Kyle Walker, John Stones, Phil Foden and Jack Grealish will not start in Malta.
West Ham skipper Declan Rice was also given the weekend off after the club clinched the Europa Conference League title but he will head to SGP today.
Lewis Dunk, meanwhile, has withdrawn from the squad after getting a first call-up since making his debut in 2018 against the United States.
Brighton defender Dunk, 31, who has been struggling with a couple of niggling injuries since the end of the season, said: “I was proud to be recalled to the England squad.
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“My first England cap remains one of the proudest moments of my career. I never gave up hope, and I hope that opportunity will come again.
“I’m sorry it won’t be this summer but at the end of the season, a few of us had to step up to achieve our aim of European football.
“A few of us were playing on adrenaline, pushing ourselves through games. I had a couple of injury issues, but our aim was to secure that top six place and create history.
“I spoke to Gareth Southgate at the end of the season, after we’d achieved that. I explained that I thought I might not be fit in time for the games against Malta and North Macedonia.
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"I didn’t want to mess him around for two important qualifiers for the country.
“He was excellent with me, told me to take as long as possible and give myself the best chance to be part of the squad.
"I’d like to thank him for that support, and wish the squad well for the two games.”
Next year’s Euro 2024 finals will be staged in Germany.
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