Tottenham playmaker James Maddison and Liverpool midfielder Curtis Jones will not be part of England’s 26-man squad for EURO 2024. Both players were initially included in Gareth Southgate’s 33-man provisional squad but have since left the training camp after being informed they won’t make the final selection.
Southgate is set to announce his official squad by Friday’s deadline, following England’s last warm-up match against Finland at Wembley. The EURO 2024 tournament begins in Germany on June 14, with England among the favourites to claim their first major men’s trophy in 58 years.
Maddison, 27, came on as a substitute in the 61st minute during England’s 3-0 friendly win against Bosnia and Herzegovina at St James’ Park on Monday. Despite his early-season form for Tottenham, his performance tapered off, contributing to his exclusion. Maddison, who participated in the 2022 World Cup, has earned seven caps but faces stiff competition from Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden, Cole Palmer, Jack Grealish, and Bukayo Saka for a midfield spot.
Curtis Jones, 23, will also miss out, along with Liverpool’s uncapped defender Jarell Quansah. In contrast, Manchester United defender Luke Shaw has returned to training after recovering from a lengthy muscle injury, raising his chances of being included in the squad. The 28-year-old left-back, who scored in the 2021 final defeat against Italy, has been sidelined since February and managed only 15 appearances for United last season.
Southgate’s final squad announcement is scheduled for Saturday. England will kick off their Euro campaign against Serbia on June 16, followed by matches against Denmark and Slovenia in their other Group C fixtures.
