Five centre-backs England should call up for the September international break
- Gareth Southgate may deploy new central defensive pairing in September games
- Harry Maguire out of favour at Man Utd and John Stones injured
- England to face Ukraine and Scotland next month
The new Premier League season may only be a few gameweeks old but we're already looking ahead to the September international break. Sorry about that.
Gareth Southgate continues to observe wave after wave of new English talent coming through in the top flight and big decisions are required in defence ahead of the Three Lions manager's next squad announcement.
National team lynchpin Harry Maguire still hasn't secured a summer transfer having fallen down the pecking order at Manchester United, while Manchester City's John Stones has a muscle injury and won't feature in the Euro 2024 qualifier against Ukraine or the friendly with Scotland.
That means Southgate will likely have to go with a fresh partnership in central defence, so here are his best options.
1. Levi Colwill
Club: Chelsea
England caps: 0
There's little doubt Levi Colwill will become a fully-fledged England international, it's just when that debut will come which is uncertain.
Having impressed on loan with Brighton in 2022/23, the 20-year-old has returned to Chelsea and immediately been given a prominent first-team role during his side's inauspicious start to the season.
Colwill has already trained with the senior squad in a support capacity but should make his official debut next month.
2. Lewis Dunk
Club: Brighton & Hove Albion
England caps: 1
Lewis Dunk has been performing steadily for Brighton since their promotion to the Premier League in 2017 but is now knocking more firmly on the England door than ever before.
Roberto De Zerbi's Seagulls have become the great entertainers of the top flight and Dunk's stock has grown in that time, providing a key function in their 'rope a dope' style of attack.
The defender has only made one appearance for England - back in 2018 in a friendly against the United States - but an omission from the upcoming squad would be incredibly surprising given Brighton's hot start to the season.
3. Marc Guehi
Club: Crystal Palace
England caps: 4
Marc Guehi is a little more established at international level, having made four appearances under Southgate since his debut last year.
The former Chelsea youngster has enjoyed two fine seasons with Crystal Palace and, at only 23 years old, is another youngster like Colwill who should rack up appearances for the Three Lions over the years.
The Eagles are looking solid again with Roy Hodgson in the dugout again, which should make Guehi an England regular throughout the 2023/24 campaign.
4. Chris Smalling
Club: Roma
England caps: 33
English players who move abroad are getting more of a look-in these days, though Chris Smalling can count himself unlucky not have been capped since 2017.
The emergence of Maguire and Stones forced Smalling out of the picture as his final few seasons at Manchester United went south. The move to Roma has improved the 33-year-old's standing around Europe and he could be a valuable stop-gap for the upcoming games.
While Southgate is more likely to look at younger players, Smalling would add experience to a position in need of it.
5. Fikayo Tomori
Club: AC Milan
England caps: 3
At 25 years old, now is the perfect time for Fikayo Tomori to start making a national team centre-back spot his own; if Southgate gives him the chance.
Fans have been clamouring for the AC Milan defender to be given more of an opportunity, having only been capped three times so far despite being a key figure in his club's 2021/22 Serie A title win.
Tomori wasn't included in the 2022 World Cup squad, with the likes of Eric Dier and Conor Coady preferred. Such crimes against football can't continue; Tomori's performances must be recognised and he must become a regular in the squad.
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