# Myles Lewis-Skelly hopes to make Tuchel’s first England squad

* Arsenal player offers solution at left-back
* Doubts over returns for White and Rashford

Arsenal’s Myles Lewis-Skelly is hopeful of being named in Thomas Tuchel’s first England squad but doubts remain over whether Ben White and Marcus Rashford will be brought back into the fold.

Tuchel, who will announce his selection on Friday morning, has been working off a 55-man longlist since starting his new job on 1 January. The German has held talks with a number of players and there is intrigue over the direction he plans to take  in when they begin their qualifying campaign for the 2026 World Cup with home games against Albania and Latvia this month.

Lewis-Skelly, who has impressed since breaking into Arsenal’s first team this season, could be one of the standout picks in Tuchel’s squad. The versatile 18-year-old has caught the eye at left-back this season and his blistering rise could lead to him being fast-tracked into the senior set-up. Lewis-Skelly, who is yet to feature for the under-21 side, offers a solution on the left with Lewis Hall and Luke Shaw injured and Ben Chilwell short of match practice. Newcastle’s Dan Burn, who can play left-back or at centre-back, is a shock contender for a first call up. Tottenham’s Djed Spence and Crystal Palace’s Tyrick Mitchell are also left-sided options.

On the opposite flank, Tuchel is expected to be without Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold, who has a knee injury, and must decide whether to keep faith with Kyle Walker. There is also the issue of whether to end White’s self-imposed exile. The Arsenal defender, who can play in the middle or on the right, left the 2022 World Cup early amid whispers of an uneasy relationship with Tuchel’s predecessor, Gareth Southgate, and his No 2, Steve Holland. Tuchel has spoken to White and opened the door to him returning but the Arsenal player is just back from injury.

The Chelsea right-back Reece James is another Tuchel favourite who could come into contention after their time together at club level and there is a decision to make on the fitness of the Manchester United centre-back Harry Maguire. Manchester City’s John Stones is out. Everton’s Jarrad Branthwaite could feature alongside Ezri Konsa, Marc Guéhi and Levi Colwill, with Milan’s Fikayo Tomori potentially missing out. The West Ham right-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka is rated as an outsider.

England have enviable depth in attack and there is the possibility of a recall for Rashford, who has enjoyed a resurgence since joining Aston Villa on loan from Manchester United. But sources close to the forward fear that this camp could come too soon for Rashford, who was not selected for Euro 2024. Jack Grealish, another high-profile omission from the Euros, is at risk again. The Nottingham Forest winger Callum Hudson-Odoi is hopeful of a recall, with Noni Madueke and Bukayo Saka unavailable.

Jarrod Bowen, Morgan Rogers, Morgan Gibbs-White and Anthony Gordon are pushing for selection but there are doubts over Eberechi Eze and James Maddison, while the Arsenal teenager Ethan Nwaneri is expected to be in the under-21 squad despite some sparkling displays for his club.



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