Five Players Southgate Should Call Up in the Next 12 Months for England
11 min read
Phil Foden
One of the more well known youngsters in England’s ranks, Phil Foden has broken through into Pep Guardiola’s matchday squad at Manchester City and is reaping the rewards. After catching the eye of the Spanish coach on the club’s pre-season tour to America in 2017, Guardiola has made it one of his missions to promote Foden and nurture him in the transition from youth football to playing with and against seniors. While it’s still very early days for the 18-year-old, being in and around the first-team squad each training session is going to allow Foden to grow as a player and receive advice from the likes of Kevin De Bruyne and David Silva. Of course, the most important aspect to growing as a footballer at a young age is to play regularly, but Foden is still featuring in the Premier League 2, mainly used for the U23s, and so is putting into practice what the manager is saying.
Jadon Sancho
A former teammate of Foden’s, Jadon Sancho made the brave and ambitious move to leave Manchester City, where he was being offered a sizeable contract for a then 17-year-old, in order to take the chance in Germany with Borussia Dortmund and their promise of first-team football. While Dortmund is still not an easy club to breakthrough at and prove that he can make it to the highest echelons of football, the England youth international has made a good crack at it so far.After a slow start last season and an injury that kept him out of action for several weeks, Sancho made six consecutive appearances towards the end of Dortmund’s campaign in which he scored once and made three. His performances throughout that time were marvellous and certainly caught the eye of the wider audience back in England. The left winger possess a sharp turn of pace that catches defenders off guard. The balance on the ball and agility to launch off either foot in behind the opposition will cause many a problem when going up against him in a one-on-one situation. Sancho’s aim for this year will be to feature in as many games as possible and carry on with his development. At 18, Sancho has time on his side to lock down the left wing position at Dortmund. Southgate will have, of course, noted the former City graduate’s impressive form at Dortmund and will be firmly keeping an eye on him this year. Sancho’s impressive unpredictability will be a welcome addition to England’s left-hand side.Jadon Sancho has six assists and a goal from his first 14 appearances for Dortmund. Would you like to see more young English players head overseas? #mmlove pic.twitter.com/TsiEVW12qI
— Mario Melchiot (@MarioMelchiot) August 29, 2018
Ryan Sessegnon
Tipped by some to be a surprise inclusion in Southgate’s 23-man World Cup squad over the summer, Ryan Sessegnon is arguably the closest to joining the senior squad for good. The Fulham winger enjoyed a stellar season last year in gaining promotion to the Premier League with the West London club. While traditionally starting off as a full back, Sessegnon’s performances further up the pitch have been widely praised and his record of 16 goals and eight assists last season speaks for itself.
James Maddison
After making his move from Norwich to Leicester City in the summer, James Maddison has enjoyed his start to Premier League life. With one goal and one assist to his name, the 21-year-old has impressed spectators so far and is the nucleus to the Foxes’ attacking methods. In the Championship last season, Maddison was one of the outstanding performers, finding the back of the net on 14 ocassions, while also assisting eight times in 44 appearances. The England U21 star has only had 18 months in Norwich’s first team after being sent out on loan to Aberdeen, quickly rising to one of the club’s best players and warranting a move into the Premier League.Maddison had many offers on the table, but with regular first team football at his disposal, Southgate will be watching with a close eye - as he was on the opening day of the season when Maddison bossed Manchester United’s midfield - of the progress he makes throughout his debut campaign in the Premier League. The Three Lions have lacked an out-and-out number 10 for several years and could have done with that type of player in Russia. Someone orchestrating the attacks in between the lines and causing havoc for midfielders and defenders alike. Maddison has already shown this season that he has the capabilities to act as that player and is likely to only improve as he comes to terms with top-tier English football.James Maddison's game by numbers vs. Liverpool:
— Squawka Football (@Squawka) September 1, 2018
60 touches
45 (87%) passes completed
5 shots
3 chances created
2 crosses
1 assist
Running the game at 21 years old. 🔥 pic.twitter.com/oYEHTrDiME
Mason Mount
Perhaps the most unknown player on this list, Mason Mount, who belongs to Chelsea, is currently on-loan at Frank Lampard’s Derby County. Having already been shipped out to Holland to play for Vitesse as quite a few Chelsea youngsters are, Mount’s development now sees himself in the Championship under the guidance of the former Blues legend and England international. Mount, who plays in a similar ilk to Maddison as the number 10, has featured in all of Derby’s opening six matches in the Championship and EFL Cup, scoring four goals and assisting one. It’s clear that he will follow the same path of Lampard as being a goal-scoring midfielder, operating as either a number eight or 10.