Decisions for Southgate, Kane as England prepares for Euros

Updated May. 25, 2021 12:09 p.m. ET

Associated Press

LONDON (AP) — Naming a 33-man provisional list, Gareth Southgate gave himself another week to deliberate on England's final European Championship squad.

To keep the three newcomers or not? How fatigued will the 12 players competing in this week's European club finals be? And will the players returning from injury be fit enough to make the final group of 26?

“I think our situation is more complicated than any other country at the moment," Southgate said Tuesday.

Even the situation surrounding Harry Kane — one of the first names on the team sheet — is not so clear.

The captain is preparing to link up with England amid uncertainty around his Tottenham future. Fresh from finishing as the Premier League's leading scorer, Kane has said he is mulling over his Tottenham future after another season without winning a first trophy.

“He’s made some statements in the last few days, but that is out of the way now. It’s very unlikely that transfer deals will be done while we are away,” Southgate said. "Most deals will be done at the end of the tournament or in the first week before it starts. I would expect most deals in terms of our players to be done after the tournament.”

Tottenham's difficult season — finishing seventh in the league and losing the League Cup final — has contributed to Eric Dier being left out of the squad after helping England reach the semifinals at the 2018 World Cup.

“Unfortunately I don’t think his season has been strong enough to be in the squad," Southgate said. “That wasn’t an easy conversation.”

Delighted to receive a call from the England coach was the trio being called up for the first time.

Center backs Ben White of Brighton and Ben Godfrey of Everton have been given a late chance to make the tournament alongside fellow newcomer Aaron Ramsdale, the Sheffield United goalkeeper.

Trent Alexander-Arnold was recalled to feature among a quartet of right backs in the provisional squad.

Southgate has until June 1 to decide who makes the cut for the final 26-man squad with injury doubts over defender Harry Maguire and midfielders Jordan Henderson and Kalvin Phillips.

West Bromwich's Sam Johnstone, who has never played for England, is also in the squad as Burnley's Nick Pope missed out through injury. Jude Bellingham, the 17-year-old Borussia Dortmund midfielder who made his England debut in November, has a chance of making the final group.

Manchester United teenager Mason Greenwood was recalled for the first time since being sent home after his debut in Iceland. While United is contesting the Europa League final against Villarreal on Wednesday, the club season doesn't end until Saturday for the Chelsea and Manchester City players in the Champions League final.

The first warmup game is against Austria next Wednesday for England, which will largely play the rescheduled Euro 2020 at Wembley Stadium.

England opens its Group D campaign on June 13 against Croatia at Wembley before also playing Scotland and the Czech Republic at the north London stadium. There's also a potential round of 16 match at Wembley for England, while the semifinals and final will all be played there.

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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 (Wolves), Ben Godfrey (Everton), Reece James (Chelsea), Harry Maguire (Manchester United), Tyrone Mings (Aston Villa), Luke Shaw (Manchester United), John Stones (Manchester City), Kieran Trippier (Atlético Madrid), Kyle Walker (Manchester City), Ben White (Brighton)

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

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

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