Rice set for England call after being named Ireland young player of year
Declan Rice is expected to secure a first call-up to the England squad for the Euro 2020 qualifiers against Czech Republic and Montenegro, a day after being named as the Republic of Ireland’s young player of the year.
The West Ham midfielder has switched international allegiance from Ireland, for whom he excelled at junior levels and gained three senior caps in friendlies, with Fifa having ratified the switch last week. The 20-year-old, who was born in Kingston upon Thames but whose paternal grandparents are from Cork, should be confirmed in Gareth Southgate’s squad which will be announced at St George’s Park on Wednesday.
The defection has prompted dismay in Ireland, with the timing of its association’s announcement ensuring it remains in the spotlight. “At the time of the vote, Declan Rice was an Ireland international and qualified for the young player category in a year that saw him win three senior caps,” an FAI spokesman said.
“Declan Rice has since opted to switch his allegiance to England. This award maintains the integrity of the voting process in conjunction with the Soccer Writers’ Association of Ireland.”
Rice will not be in attendance to accept the award on Sunday, the day before he is expected to link up with his new England teammates.
Southgate will recall the goalkeeper Tom Heaton, who missed the World Cup last summer through injury and has since regained his first-team place at Burnley ahead of Joe Hart and Nick Pope. The Southampton midfielder James Ward-Prowse, whose goals have eased the club out of the relegation places, is likely to resume an international career that has been stalled for two years, while the England management have been impressed with the uncapped Conor Coady’s progress at Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Angus Gunn, of Crystal Palace and Southampton respectively, are under strong consideration, though Southgate will be anxious not to disrupt the under-21s’ preparations for the European Championship, in which both are expected to feature. Wan-Bissaka’s progress this season has been startling at Selhurst Park, with the fullback apparently set on playing for England rather than DR Congo, for whose under-17s he once played as a forward.
Kieran Trippier has been in rehabilitation from a gluteal injury since the start of the month but England could still call on Kyle Walker and Trent Alexander-Arnold at right-back. Southgate may consider Wan-Bissaka better served playing for the under-21s than being on the fringe of the senior team.