England squad: Ivan Toney called up for Italy & Germany Nations League games
- Published
Toney scored 14 goals in all competitions for Brentford last season
England in the Nations League |
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Venues: San Siro (Milan), Wembley Dates: 23 & 26 September |
Coverage: Live commentary on BBC Radio 5 Live. Text commentary on BBC Sport website and app |
England manager Gareth Southgate has called up uncapped Brentford forward Ivan Toney for the Nations League games with Italy and Germany this month.
Toney, 26, has scored five goals in six Premier League games this season.
Keeper Dean Henderson and defenders Eric Dier and Ben Chilwell are recalled for England's final competitive matches before the World Cup in Qatar.
Midfielder Jordan Henderson and keeper Jordan Pickford are not involved because of injury.
Defender Ben White and midfielder Conor Gallagher miss out.
Manchester United defenders Harry Maguire and Luke Shaw are included despite making only four Premier League starts between them this season, but team-mates Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho are again overlooked.
Rashford, who has not played for England since July 2021, is receiving treatment for a muscle injury.
Southgate said there was still time for Rashford to make the squad for the World Cup.
"It is only eight weeks until we will be naming our squad for Qatar so every minute counts," he added.
"He [Rashford] is a player we know well so if he can perform at a high level in the next few weeks, he of course will be under consideration."
Dier, who has not played for England since November 2020, has been recalled after an impressive start to the season for Tottenham.
England face European champions Italy at the San Siro in Milan on 23 September and Germany at Wembley on 26 September.
They are without a win in four games since beating Ivory Coast 3-0 in a friendly in March.
England squad
Goalkeepers: Nick Pope (Newcastle), Aaron Ramsdale (Arsenal), Dean Henderson (Nottingham Forest, on loan from Manchester United).
Defenders: Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool), Ben Chilwell (Chelsea), Conor Coady (on loan at Everton from Wolves), Eric Dier (Tottenham), Marc Guehi (Crystal Palace), Reece James (Chelsea), Harry Maguire (Manchester United), Luke Shaw (Manchester United), John Stones (Manchester City), Fikayo Tomori (AC Milan), Kieran Trippier (Newcastle), Kyle Walker (Manchester City).
Midfielders: Jude Bellingham (Borussia Dortmund), Mason Mount (Chelsea), Kalvin Phillips (Manchester City), Declan Rice ( West Ham), James Ward-Prowse (Southampton).
Forwards: Tammy Abraham (Roma), Jarrod Bowen (West Ham), Phil Foden (Manchester City), Jack Grealish (Manchester City), Harry Kane (Tottenham), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), Raheem Sterling (Chelsea), Ivan Toney (Brentford).
From League One to World Cup?
Toney, who was playing in League One with Peterborough United as recently as March 2020, finds himself in an England squad 67 days before the World Cup starts on 20 November.
He joined Newcastle from Northampton for £200,000 in 2015, but made only two league appearances and spent most of his time out on loan.
He played in League One at Barnsley, Shrewsbury, Wigan and Scunthorpe before moving to Peterborough in August 2018.
Toney scored 26 goals in 39 games for Posh before the coronavirus pandemic ended the 2019-20 League One campaign, then helped Brentford win promotion to the Premier League after joining them in August 2020.
He has 17 goals and seven assists in 41 Premier League appearances and scored a hat-trick in Brentford's 5-2 win over Leeds on 3 September.
"We have been tracking him for a long time," said Southgate. "I had a good chat with Brentford boss Thomas Frank about him last season.
"His form and his qualities - not only his goalscoring but his technical ability, build-up play and aerial prowess - gives us a different threat to some of the other players we could pick."
Toney is the first Brentford player to receive an England call-up since Les Smith in 1939., external
Frank said it was a "fantastic day" for everyone at Brentford, adding: "He is one of our leaders and has excelled as a player and a person.
"For the staff, it is a massive moment. To have someone in the England squad is a huge achievement for everyone at the club."
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