Tottenham striker Dominic Solanke has been included in Lee Carsley’s England squad for the upcoming Nations League fixtures against Greece and Finland. This marks Solanke’s first call-up since his only England appearance, which came as a substitute against Brazil in 2017 during his time at Liverpool.
Solanke’s strong performances for Spurs, where he has netted three goals in six games since joining from Bournemouth in a £65m summer transfer, have caught Carsley’s eye. The England boss commented on the striker’s return to the squad: “I’ve worked with Dom in the past, and he was very close to being selected for the last squad before his injury. His time at Bournemouth was fantastic, and now he’s carried that form into his time with Spurs. He’s a talented player with qualities I really admire, and it’s great to have him back.”
The 27-year-old forward was not selected for England’s Euro 2024 squad despite his impressive tally of 21 goals in 42 appearances for Bournemouth last season. Now, with his return to international action, Solanke will look to make an impact as England take on Greece at Wembley on 10 October, followed by an away match against Finland in Helsinki on 13 October.
Notable absences and squad additions
While Solanke’s inclusion is a positive development, some high-profile players have been left out of the squad. Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers, who has enjoyed an excellent start to the season, is missing despite expectations of a call-up. Rogers, 22, has been a key figure for Villa, starting all eight of their Premier League and Champions League matches and scoring twice. His form had led many to believe he would feature in the October squad.
Similarly, Tottenham midfielder James Maddison and Crystal Palace winger Eberechi Eze have been omitted. Maddison, who has found the net once in seven appearances for Spurs this season, has not been included in an England squad since he was dropped from Gareth Southgate’s preliminary Euro 2024 selection. Eze, another creative talent, also misses out despite his strong performances for Palace.
Manchester United defender Harry Maguire, a regular fixture under former manager Southgate, is another notable absence. Maguire was part of Carsley’s first squad in September but has been left out of this month’s fixtures after missing United’s recent 3-0 defeat to Tottenham with a calf injury. The 31-year-old has since returned to United’s squad for their Europa League tie against Porto.
Among those returning to the squad is Manchester City’s Kyle Walker, who was omitted from Carsley’s initial squad in September. Real Madrid’s Jude Bellingham also returns to the fold, having missed the previous round of fixtures due to injury.
England squad for october Nations League matches
The full squad includes goalkeepers Dean Henderson, Jordan Pickford, and Nick Pope, while the defenders consist of Marc Guehi, Ezri Konsa, John Stones, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Levi Colwill, Rico Lewis, and Kyle Walker.
In midfield, Carsley has selected Conor Gallagher, Kobbie Mainoo, Declan Rice, Cole Palmer, Morgan Gibbs-White, Angel Gomes, Phil Foden, and Jude Bellingham.
Forwards include Jack Grealish, Anthony Gordon, Harry Kane, Noni Madueke, Bukayo Saka, Ollie Watkins, and Dominic Solanke. England will look to continue their positive start under Carsley, who oversaw wins against Finland and the Republic of Ireland in September.
