Georgia Stanway, Lauren Hemp and Alex Greenwood have returned to the England squad for the Nations League fixtures against Portugal and Spain, but Lauren James misses out through injury.
Sarina Wiegman has selected a 27-player squad for the two games in May and June, which are the Lionesses’ final fixtures before the England head coach names her squad for the 2025 European Championship this summer.
Tottenham Hotspur defender Ella Morris, 22, has received her maiden senior call up, and Arsenal forward Michelle Agyemang, who spent the season on loan at Brighton and Hove Albion, keeps her place after the 19-year-old marked her senior debut with a goal inside 41 seconds during April’s international window.
There is a recall for uncapped Aston Villa midfielder Missy Bo Kearns but Aston Villa defender Lucy Parker, Manchester United centre-back Millie Turner and Brighton midfielder Maisie Symonds drop out from last month’s camp. Arsenal defender Lotte Wubben-Moy also misses out after making her return from injury at the end of April.
Bayern Munich midfielder Stanway has been out since January after tearing her lateral collateral ligament in her knee, leaving her with a race to be fit for Euro 2025. The 26-year-old, a key part of England’s Euro 2022 triumph and run to the 2023 World Cup final, underwent surgery and has not played a competitive match since December.
Stanway has been sidelined since January (Naomi Baker – The FA/The FA via Getty Images)
Manchester City winger Hemp and defender Greenwood return to the squad for the first time since undergoing knee surgeries in November and December respectively. Hemp was sidelined for five months and Greenwood four, before both returned to action at the end of April and featured in City’s final three matches of the season.
James, however, is absent after missing Chelsea’s final seven matches of the season with a hamstring injury. The 23-year-old was withdrawn at half time during England’s win over Belgium in April and subsequently withdrew from the squad. No timeframe has been given yet for her return, but Wiegman said she was “hopeful” James could put herself in contention to play some part at the Euros.
England play Portugal at Wembley on May 30 before their final Nations League group stage fixture against Spain at Espanyol’s RCDE Stadium on June 3.
The Lionesses are second in Nations League Group A3, two points behind leaders Spain and three points clear of Portugal in third. Finishing top will ensure progression to the competition’s semi-finals, while a top-two finish guarantees a place League A for the 2027 World Cup qualifiers and a more straightforward qualification route.
‘Three pillars of England’s squad return’
Analysis by The Athletic’s Charlotte Harpur
The return of Greenwood, Stanway and Hemp from injury is a massive boost and cannot be underestimated. They are three pillars to Wiegman’s squad in terms of their tactical, technical and physical qualities but also their leadership and professionalism off the pitch which will drive the squad’s standards.
The absence of Lauren James following her hamstring injury from the last international break is concerning while Agyemang’s retention is a clear sign of how much she impressed following her stunning goal against Belgium.
Morris’ first call-up, as defenders Lucy Parker and Millie Turner drop out, and Bo Kearns’ return, in place of Symonds, as well as the fact that Wiegman has picked a 27-player squad are all indications Wiegman is keeping her options open. This international window is the last opportunity for players to secure their place on the plane to Switzerland.
Wiegman: James ‘working hard’ to be fit for Euros
Sarina Wiegman said England were hopeful Lauren James could play a part at Euro 2025 and suggested the Chelsea forward could still make the squad even if not back to full fitness.
England play Jamaica in a pre-tournament friendly on June 29, before beginning the defence of their European Championship title against France on July 5.
“She’s where she should be at,” Wiegman said. “She can’t join us in this camp but we’re trying to build together with her club. She really wants to go to the Euros and hopefully we can get her fit and ready to go into it. She needs to be healthy, she needs to be able to train and to recover from training.
“It’s about finding balance in your squad. You can’t bring in three or four players who are in that stage, but probably one player that’s been doing really well, that could be an opportunity.”
James is sidelined with a hamstring injury (Harriet Lander – The FA/The FA via Getty Images)
Wiegman continued: “She’s working really hard to get fit. She performed really well and she developed so quickly and so well and really showed up for Chelsea and for us, working really hard too. So I just want to give it a chance.
“She’s a special player who has moments in the game that she can be decisive. Let’s see how far she gets and what she can bring us and I know she’s absolutely working really hard to get there.”
The England head coach also explained Georgia Stanway had returned to training and was hopeful of working back to full fitness in time for the Euros.
“Georgia is in training, she starts full training, and what we hope is she comes into camp and continues building with us and hopefully towards the Euros, which is important she’s healthy and can handle training loads and recover and then perform at that level,” Wiegman added. “We have the time to see that.
“She needs to be performing at her highest level at her highest level to compete for her position, as everyone else.”
England squad in full
Goalkeepers: Mary Earps (Paris Saint-Germain), Hannah Hampton (Chelsea), Khiara Keating (Manchester City), Anna Moorhouse (Orlando Pride)
Defenders: Millie Bright (Chelsea), Lucy Bronze (Chelsea), Jess Carter (Gotham FC), Niamh Charles (Chelsea), Alex Greenwood (Manchester City), Maya Le Tissier (Manchester United), Esme Morgan (Washington Spirit), Ella Morris (Tottenham Hotspur), Leah Williamson (Arsenal)
Midfielders: Grace Clinton (Manchester United), Missy Bo Kearns (Aston Villa), Fran Kirby (Brighton & Hove Albion), Jess Park (Manchester City), Georgia Stanway (Bayern Munich), Ella Toone (Manchester United), Keira Walsh (Chelsea)
Forwards: Michelle Agyemang (Brighton & Hove Albion, on loan from Arsenal) Aggie Beever-Jones (Chelsea), Lauren Hemp (Manchester City), Chloe Kelly (Arsenal), Beth Mead (Arsenal), Nikita Parris (Brighton & Hove Albion), Alessia Russo (Arsenal)
(Top photo of Alex Greenwood and Lauren Hemp: Julian Finney/Getty Images)
Sarina Wiegman has selected a 27-player squad for the Nations League fixtures against Portugal and Spain. Read More
