JARELL QUANSAH’s Euro 2024 dream may not be over.
England manager Gareth Southgate released the defender, but placed him in the squad for Friday’s friendly with Iceland and on STANDBY for the finals.
Southgate cut out seven stars, including the 21-year-old Liverpool player, when he called up his final group of 26 to travel to Germany.
Injured Harry Maguire and Everton’s £80m-rated Jarrad Branthwaite could be seen as the biggest names omitted from their defensive options.
But when asked if anyone would be ready for the Euros, Southgate singled out a player with just 17 Premier League appearances.
He said: “Jarell Quansah stayed with us.
“I don’t think he had the experience of an England international at Wembley.
“So I think it would be great for him to be with us at the game.”
Southgate admitted it was agony reducing his party from 33 to 26.
Manchester United star Maguire is “devastated” to be left out with the calf injury that denied him a place in last month’s FA Cup victory over neighbors Man City.
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Southgate said: “Trent (Alexander-Arnold) can play in defense and I think we have nine defenders.
“Harry has made some progress but it’s been tricky, we definitely wouldn’t have had him in the group stage.”
In contrast, Southgate was confident enough in the recovery of Maguire’s club-mate Luke Shaw to keep him in the reduced squad.
He explained: “He has progressed really well over the last few weeks.
“At the moment we think he could have some participation in the second game of the group stage.
“I think you can take a gamble and this is a gamble, we have enough evidence to believe it could pay off.”
Meanwhile, Quansah is eagerly awaiting his senior Three Lions debut against Iceland.
He only gained his first league experience in January 2023 with a loan debut for Bristol Rovers in League One.
Then came his England Under-20 debut two months later and his Under-21 debut in October 2023.
But most importantly, he had an amazing season at Liverpool.
This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story