O'Reilly replaces injured James in England squad

O'Reilly has become a regular for Manchester City

Manchester City defender Nico O'Reilly has received his first call-up to the England squad following the withdrawal of Reece James.

Right-back James suffered an injury when playing for Chelsea in their Premier League win against Liverpool on Saturday.

He posted a picture on Instagram of a shin gash following the game and has been ruled out "following medical assessments".

O'Reilly steps up from England Under-21s for the games against Wales on Thursday, 9 October and Latvia on Tuesday, 14 October.

The 20-year-old predominantly plays at left-back, leaving Tottenham's Djed Spence as the only recognised right-back in England boss Thomas Tuchel's squad.

O'Reilly, who has been with Manchester City since he was eight, made 21 appearances and scored five goals for the club last season as he broke into their first team.

He was part of manager Pep Guardiola's squad at the Club World Cup in the summer and has made nine appearances this season.

O'Reilly 'over the moon' at call-up

O'Reilly told BBC Radio 5 Live he was "a bit shocked and very surprised" to receive a call-up, but also "over the moon [and] buzzing with the news".

He started off at Manchester City as a midfielder, but his defensive performances have caught the eye of Tuchel.

"At first I found the switch pretty difficult because I have never played there before," O'Reilly said of his positional change.

"Obviously I have been training there every day, so it has started to get easier. I got a lot of good advice, so yes, I enjoy it. It's a bit different but I am enjoying it.

"I have never really done that side of the game, one-v-one defending, but every day I am learning and getting better in the position and I am enjoying it."

When asked if he is pinching himself after coming such a long way in a short space of time, O'Reilly said: "Definitely, but I try not to think about it too much. I try not to let it get the better of me and just stay calm and stay focused."

O'Reilly explained that City team-mate John Stones was surprised to see him joining up with the senior England squad at St George's Park.

"He was a bit shocked, obviously, because I wasn't initially meant to be here with the squad, but yes, it is good to see him, as a familiar face," O'Reilly said.

Analysis: Call-up a reward for City performances

O'Reilly's call-up is a reward for his performances with Manchester City.

The left-back has been converted from a number 10 by Pep Guardiola and started seven of City's games this season.

Tuchel has spoken about how he values the physicality of the Premier League and players who are powerful runners - attributes that O'Reilly possesses.

At well over 6ft tall, O'Reilly joins a physically imposing England squad and his ability to play across different positions will be of use to Tuchel if he makes the final squad for the World Cup.

O'Reilly has played for England from under-15 level through to under-20s - he was called up for the under-21s in September but had to withdraw because of injury.

The 20-year-old still considers himself a midfielder, but the fact he has been called up in place of Reece James suggests he is going to be utilised in defence.

The withdrawal of James does leave England short of options at right-back with Spence the only natural player for that position, and he was actually called up as a left-back in September.

O'Reilly making his mark at City

O'Reilly only made his first Premier League start as recently as April, but his impressive performances mean he has earned an increasingly important role this season.

The Manchester-born youngster has played 648 minutes in all competitions this term, the fourth highest total by a City player.

He has made a valuable contribution defensively, attempting more tackles per 90 minutes in the league than any of his team-mates, while also ranking highly for possession won, blocks and interceptions.

The boyhood Manchester City fan began the win against Wolves on the opening weekend at right-back, but his six starts since then have come at left-back.

Despite operating in wide areas, he is a player who regularly looks to get on the ball, averaging 78 touches per game, a figure bettered by just four City players in the current campaign.

While he has yet to score this season, he demonstrated an eye for goal in 2024-25, netting five times from January onwards.