ottenham striker Dominic Solanke has received a call-up to Lee Carsley’s England squad for the upcoming Nations League matches against Greece and Finland. This marks Solanke’s first inclusion in the national team since he made his sole appearance in 2017, when he came on as a substitute against Brazil during his time at Liverpool.
Carsley expressed his confidence in Solanke, stating, “Dom’s a player I’m fully aware of having worked with him in the past.” He added that Solanke was on the brink of being selected for the previous squad but was sidelined due to injury just before the announcement.
“He performed exceptionally well at Bournemouth and has carried that form into Spurs. He possesses many great attributes that I really appreciate, and he’s also a genuinely nice person. His talent is remarkable, and we’re fortunate to have him on the team.”
Aston Villa midfielder Morgan Rogers is notably absent from the squad despite his impressive start to the season. Other notable exclusions include Manchester United defender Harry Maguire, Tottenham playmaker James Maddison, and Crystal Palace winger Eberechi Eze.
In contrast, Kyle Walker, who was omitted from Carsley’s initial squad, has been recalled, and Real Madrid’s Jude Bellingham has been selected after missing the September fixtures due to injury.
As interim manager, Carsley has begun his tenure strongly, leading the team to victories against Finland and the Republic of Ireland in the Nations League last month.
The Three Lions will face Greece at Wembley on October 10 before traveling to Helsinki to take on Finland on October 13.
Solanke has made an impressive impact at Tottenham, scoring three goals in six matches since his summer transfer from Bournemouth for £65 million, under manager Ange Postecoglou. Despite a stellar last season where he netted 21 goals in 42 appearances for the Cherries, the 27-year-old was not included in England’s Euro 2024 squad.
Harry Maguire, 31, who was a regular selection under former manager Gareth Southgate, has been left out of the squad for October’s fixtures after being included in Carsley’s first squad in September. The centre-back missed Manchester United’s 3-0 loss to Tottenham on Sunday due to a calf injury but has returned in time for Thursday’s Europa League match against Porto.
Morgan Rogers, 22, had been anticipated for a call-up following his outstanding start to the season. The midfielder has featured in all eight of Aston Villa’s Premier League and Champions League matches this term, contributing two goals.
Meanwhile, James Maddison has not been included in an England squad since being dropped from Southgate’s preliminary Euro 2024 selection, despite scoring once in seven matches for Spurs this season.
