Ollie Watkins and Ivan Toney could both be called up for the World Cup, with England manager Thomas Tuchel set to select three strikers in his 26-man squad.
Tuchel plans to name three strikers in his 26-man squad (Image: Getty)
Manager Thomas Tuchel is set to name three strikers for England, which could pave the way for the signing of Ollie Watkins. England manager Tuchel announced his 26-man squad on Friday, but his frontline remains a hot topic ahead of the World Cup.
Bayern Munich star Harry Kane is certainly in the spotlight as England’s captain, top scorer and talisman as he will be one of the first names on the team sheet.
However, Tuchel is expected to be able to name three strikers in his 26-man squad, with the remaining two spots being contested.
Aston Villa striker Watkins was left out of England’s final squad in March but has responded admirably, scoring nine goals since his omission, including four in his last three games.
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This has caught the attention of manager Tuchel, who believes Watkins is the frontrunner to qualify and is thought to be on the 55-man longlist submitted to FIFA last Monday.
Tuchel has been personally impressed with Watkins’ form, attitude and determination, which opened the door for him to return ahead of Friday’s squad announcement.
Previously, some England managers have used just two traditional out-and-out forwards in their 23-man squads, but the 48-team tournament will give them greater scope by playing in larger groups and testing weather and climatic conditions.
That could open the door for forgotten man Ivan Toney, who has been prolific in the Saudi Pro League and has earned a reputation as a penalty specialist ahead of a potential shootout.
Brighton’s Danny Welbeck is another option, with Tuchel having name-checked him several times due to his qualities and mindset.
Tuchel called up Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Dominic Solanke to his squad in March, but the Tottenham striker was sidelined with an injury and the Leeds player left camp after just one game.
Ollie Watkins: in great form (Image: Neville Williams/Aston Villa FC via Getty Images)
Real Madrid star Trent Alexander-Arnold may struggle to break into the 26-man squad despite injury concerns for Tino Libramento.
Tuchel also highlighted Chelsea’s resurgent defender Levi Colwill, who impressed in the FA Cup final despite his side losing to Manchester City on Saturday.
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