England head coach Gareth Southgate has said Manchester City star Jack Grealish is still in the running to feature in the EURO 2024, despite him failing to make the squad for the most recent international friendlies.
Jack Grealish Gets Encouraging EURO 2024 Update From Gareth Southgate
England boss Southgate named a star-studded squad for their friendlies against Brazil (March 23) and Belgium (March 26). However, some prominent names who have represented England in major competitions before could not make the cut. Manchester City star Grealish was one of the most notable absentees, but Southgate insists it is not the end of the story for the 28-year-old.
The manager said he spoke to the left-winger before announcing his squad and assured that he could be included in England’s final 23-man squad for EURO 2024 in Germany. Speaking to reporters, Southgate said (via Metro):
“Jack’s definitely not out of the picture.
“I spoke to him before I named the squad. But as I said when I named the squad, Gordon and [Jarrod] Bowen are pushing those guys.”
He concluded by saying:
“I think Anthony Gordon has been excellent for his club. And obviously Marcus Rashford got on in the first game. But I wanted to see Gordon again. I thought James Maddison coming on would have an impact and Bowen has also had a really good camp. So there’s competition for places.”
The Three Lions currently have an abundance of wide players in their ranks. From Anthony Gordon and Jarrod Bowen to James Maddison and Cole Palmer, many players are capable of playing on the left wing, making it challenging for Grealish to break through.
Grealish Needs To Up His Game At Manchester City To Make England Squad
After featuring in almost every game during Manchester City’s Treble-winning campaign in 2022-23, Grealish has slipped down Pep Guardiola’s pecking order. With the Spaniard often preferring Jeremy Doku’s pace and creativity on the left wing, Grealish has been reduced to a sporadic role, with him only starting seven (of 14) Premier League matches in 2023-24. He has scored just thrice and provided an assist in the English top flight this season.
Grealish, who played five games for England at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, must win Guardiola’s trust to earn more minutes in the closing stages of the season. Unless he succeeds and makes those opportunities count, Southgate may not hesitate to exclude him from the final EURO 2024 squad.
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