• United youngster sustained a back injury and is now unavailable for selection.
• No replacement will be called up, meaning Walker will not join the squad.
Image: /REUTERS
Aaron Wan-Bissaka’s hopes of winning his first senior England cap have been ruined by injury — but his withdrawal from the squad has not reopened the door for Kyle Walker.
The Manchester United right-back was in line to feature in the forthcoming Euro 2020 qualifiers Bulgaria and Kosovo having made a bright start to his career at Old Trafford.
Wan-Bissaka was vying with Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold to start at Wembley against Bulgaria on Saturday. Gareth Southgate has been following his progress for the past year and was eager to elevate him from the Under 21 squad as soon as possible.
After training at St George’s Park on Tuesday, though, Wan-Bissaka was sent back to Old Trafford for treatment with a back problem that was not going to clear ahead of next Tuesday’s Kosovo fixture at Southampton. It remains to be seen whether he will be fit for United’s game against Leicester on September 14.
Right-back is an area in which Southgate is blessed, though, and the presence of Alexander-Arnold — along with Atletico Madrid’s Kieran Trippier — means that Southgate did not give any thought to recalling Walker.
The Manchester City star, who has started the season with a flourish, has been a mainstay in that position but his performance in the Nations League semi-final defeat to the Netherlands in Guimares has raised questions about his position in the squad going forward.
England will step up their preparations for the Saturday’s fixture over the next few days as Southgate works on his starting line-up. Southgate has selected an ambitious young squad for this double-header and Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford said: “It just shows how much talent is coming through the system. Everyone has been through the youth ranks with England and it shows that there is a pathway for us to get to senior level.”
“I went all the way through the pathway and many others did too, so it is incredible for the set-up that you have that. It’s all about playing for your clubs and doing well for your clubs, though, which we seem to be doing.”
“The quality is throughout the team and we all know what we want to achieve as a team. We all thrive to be better on the pitch and as a squad, it is always evolving. We have new lads in this week and everyone is fighting with the competition.”