Saka named in England’s Euros provisional squad, Tomori, Abraham left out

BUKAYO Saka, the teenager with Nigerian heritage, has been included in England’s provisional squad for this summer’s European Championship.

The versatile 19-year-old Arsenal player is listed as one of the 10 forwards in the 33-man squad Gareth Southgate announced on Tuesday.

However, there is no room for another player with Nigerian parents who has opted to represent England, Fikayo Tomori.

The central defender has excelled at AC Milan during a loan spell from Chelsea, but he has been ignored, with Everton’s Ben Godfrey and Brighton’s Ben White handed their first call-ups instead in his position.

The other player with Nigerian blood who recently also chose England, Chelsea striker Tammy Abraham, was as expected dropped after a long period on the Blues’ bench.

The final 26-man squad will be named by next Tuesday.

Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson and Manchester United skipper Harry Maguire are in the squad despite injury worries, while Trent Alexander-Arnold, Mason Greenwood and Jack Grealish return after missing recent England games.

Of the 33 players in the provisional squad, 21 will be hoping to make their first England appearances at a senior tournament at the Euros.

The players, except those involved in the Champions League final, are to report to Middlesbrough’s Rockliffe Park training ground on Saturday, ahead of next week’s preparation games against Austria ( Wednesday 2 June) and Romania ( Sunday 6 June) at the Riverside Stadium.

UEFA’s deadline to submit a 26-man squad for this summer’s tournament is next Tuesday, after which teams are able to make unlimited replacements before their first match in the event of serious injury or illness (including Covid-19 or ‘close contact’ to positive case).

England are in the same group with Croatia, Scotland and Czech Republic.

England’s Provisional squad for UEFA EURO 2020

Goalkeepers:
Dean Henderson (Manchester United), Sam Johnstone (West Bromwich Albion), Jordan Pickford (Everton), Aaron Ramsdale (Sheffield United)

Defenders:
Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool), Ben Chilwell (Chelsea), Conor Coady (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Ben Godfrey (Everton), Reece James (Chelsea), Harry Maguire (Manchester United), Tyrone Mings (Aston Villa), Luke Shaw (Manchester United), John Stones (Manchester City), Kieran Trippier (Atletico Madrid), Kyle Walker (Manchester City), Ben White (Brighton & Hove Albion)

Midfielders:
Jude Bellingham (Borussia Dortmund), Jordan Henderson (Liverpool), Jesse Lingard (West Ham United, on loan from Manchester United), Mason Mount (Chelsea), Kalvin Phillips (Leeds United), Declan Rice (West Ham United), James Ward-Prowse (Southampton)

Forwards:
Dominic Calvert-Lewin (Everton), Phil Foden (Manchester City), Jack Grealish (Aston Villa), Mason Greenwood (Manchester United), Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur), Marcus Rashford (Manchester United), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), Jadon Sancho (Borussia Dortmund), Raheem Sterling (Manchester City), Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa).