Southampton striker Danny Ings has fired himself on to Gareth Southgate’s radar as the England manager ponders Harry Kane’s replacement for the March internationals.
Aston Villa captain Jack Grealish, 24, is also in Southgate’s thoughts ahead of the games against Italy and Denmark at Wembley.
Kane misses out after hamstring surgery last week, and Ings, 27 — who has one England cap from 2015 — is a contender.
With 16 goals in 24 appearances, his form has alerted Southgate, who will almost certainly not consider a comeback for Leicester’s Jamie Vardy.
There is pressure on Callum Wilson’s spot in the England party. The Bournemouth striker broke into the squad last season and won four caps, scoring once.
But Wilson has not scored a Premier League goal since September.
Skipper Kane is virtually certain of being fit for Euro 2020, provided his rehabilitation goes according to plan. He hopes to return to full training in April and believes he can play in Tottenham’s final six games.
Grealish’s form has put him firmly in the frame for his first call-up. Dele Alli’s resurgence at Tottenham has also caught the eye. Alli, a regular for England at the 2018 World Cup, has not been selected for the previous two squads. But his revival under Jose Mourinho has pleased Southgate, who will consider a recall.
lJordan Henderson has been voted England’s player of 2019 by supporters of the national side, with Raheem Sterling second and Harry Kane third. The women’s honour went to Lucy Bronze.