Rice makes Southgate’s first England squad of 2019 but Wan-Bissaka misses out

 

West Ham midfielder Declan Rice has been included in Gareth Southgate’s first England squad of 2019, the Football Association has announced.

 

England will kick off their qualification campaign for Euro 2020 with matches against Czech Republic and Montenegro at the end of this month.

 

Southgate has drafted Rice into his squad after the 20-year-old switched his allegiance from Republic of Ireland to England in February.

 

Rice has been a revelation for West Ham this season and is already being heavily linked with moves to Manchester City in the summer.

 

Central midfield is an area where England were particularly short in the 2018 World Cup and the hope is that Rice can fill that gap.

 

Rice makes Southgate’s first England squad of 2019 but Wan-Bissaka misses out

 

In fact, only Leicester midfielder Wilfred Ndidi (147) has won possession in the middle third more times than Rice in the Premier League this season (138).

 

Southgate has resisted the urge to draft in Crystal Palace starlet Aaron Wan-Bissaka, with Trent Alexander-Arnold and Kieran Trippier both selected ahead of the 21-year-old.

 

Tottenham midfielder Dele Alli has proved his fitness in time to make the 25-man squad, while Burnley goalkeeper Tom Heaton is back in the fold for the first time since the summer of 2018.