It’s always an exciting time when the England squad is announced, with Leicester City fans hoping their players have earned a spot in representing their country. Whilst Gareth Southgate’s 26-man squad doesn’t feature any Foxes stars this time around, there has still been some exciting developments over the prospect of two future England internationals over on Filbert Way.
Leicester‘s struggles this season is undoubtably the reason why no-one features in Southgate’s latest squad – key players have been inconsistent with their form as the Foxes have failed to build up any real momentum of late. However, their recent turn in form could see some players demand a place in the international setup.
Two players that Southgate has been keeping tabs on are young defenders James Justin and Luke Thomas. Justin’s is a name that won’t come as a surprise to many, the versatile full-back was on Southgate’s radar in 2020 and was destined for a senior international call-up, until a cruel ACL injury saw him miss almost a year of football. Now, Justin building back up to his best, making 7 appearances for Leicester since his return.
JJ was arguably the player of the 2020/21 season until his injury and, at only 24, he has plenty of time ahead of him to get back into contention for England. If he can get back to the level he was playing at, I don’t see how Southgate (or any future England manager) could leave him out of their future squads. The rest of this season will be about getting up to full fitness for Justin, ahead of the 2022 Qatar World Cup in December.
The name that will surprise some is young Luke Thomas. The Daily Mail are reporting that, in light of Ben Chilwell’s season-ending injury, as well as Kieran Trippier’s absence, Southgate has sent staff to watch the left-back. This time around, Southgate has boldly only selected one recognised left-back in Luke Shaw, whilst Tyrone Mings has also played that position earlier in his career.
Thomas, still only 20, made his debut for Leicester in 2020, and has gone on to make over 50 appearances for his boyhood club. A glimmering advert for the Foxes’ youth system, Thomas has come on leaps and bounds in the last few seasons and has often gone underappreciated. Thomas’ experience and ability in playing as a wing-back will be encouraging for Southgate, who frequently plays with a back-three.
Already capped four times for the U21s, as well as his caps at U18s, 19s and 20s, he has been on the radar of the senior coaching team for some time. An ever reliable, it is becoming rarer to see him being caught out in defence. It isn’t only in his defensive work where he shines; Thomas loves to bomb down the left wing and help in the attack – perhaps best typified in his debut when he assisted an Ayoze Perez goal.
A memorable strike against Manchester United at Old Trafford, as well as his assist for Youri Tieleman’s worldie in the FA Cup final, highlights just how much talent Thomas has. It is worth a reminder that he is still only 20; there is so much developing for him to do. Whilst I wouldn’t say he is ready for international football just yet – he would cope but he wouldn’t excel – he is certainly one for the future and will be putting the pressure on both Shaw and Chilwell to be at their best.
The fact that Southgate has already sent staff out to watch him is a big encouragement for the Syston-born defender. His age still allows him to be selected for the U21s, and I’d imagine he’ll build on those caps in the upcoming weeks.
Away from defence, Harvey Barnes and James Maddison were also excluded from Southgate’s squad, but both will be on the cusp of a call-up if they continue their impressive form. Both endured slow starts to the season as they recovered from their respective injuries. This year, Barnes and Maddison have been two of the Foxes’ most impressive attacking forces. If they can help guide Leicester to Europa Conference League glory, they won’t be far away from the England squad.
The other name to mention is Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. The midfielder is arguably the player of the season for Leicester and has looked better and better with each performance. Some may have wanted to see him included in this squad; however it is important to remember that this is his debut campaign in the Premier League. His development is going smoothly so far, rushing an international appearance could ruin that.
If KDH continues to impress, he will soon be a shoo-in for the international set-up, but he – and fans – will need patience. The World Cup may come too soon for him, but come Euro 2024, he will certainly be one of the names in contention for a spot.