5 players that Gareth Southgate should call up to the England squad

Modified Mar 12, 2019 10:32 GMT

Gareth Southgate won the hearts of English fans at last years World Cup. He was extremely impressive in leading the team to the World Cup Semi-Final, where they sadly lost to Croatia 2-1. The Three Lions have become a much better team under Southgate and have brought in plenty of promising players such as Jadon Sancho and Trent Alexander Arnold into the team. Bringing young players through is a key part of his philosophy and will be key in England's hope of winning the Euros in 2020.

At the moment, England is blessed with some wonderful young talent in the country. Their victories in the 2017 U-19 and U-17 World Cup are proof of youth development in the country. Here is a list of five players that Gareth Southgate should call up to the England Squad, who can help the team reach greater heights.

#5 Phil Foden

Phil Foden has progressed hugely this season and is making more number of appearances than the last year for Manchester City. Folden has impressed enough to gain his England Under-21 debut this season and has become an important part of the youth teams. However, the next step is playing for England and many feel that he is ready to play for Southgate's team. However, a lot of pundits in the game have expressed their concerns about his playing time and feel Foden should go out on loan as he is good enough to play every week.

#4 Declan Rice

West Ham United v Liverpool FC - Premier League

Declan Rice has turned out to be a sensation in the Premier League this season at the heart of West Ham's midfield. The 20-year-old recently declared he will play England instead of Ireland after months of speculation about his international future. Rice would be a brilliant player to have in next year's European Championships and should get a chance to claim his place. He is solid both on the ball and defensively and could help his national team in more ways than one.

#3 Aaron Wan-Bissaka

Crystal Palace v West Ham United - Premier League

The 21-year-old currently has played for the England U-21 team but is yet to play for the senior team. Wan-Bissaka has been one of the league's best players in his position and with 25 Premier League appearances for Crystal Palace already, he will be looking for a national team call up. However, he faces competition with both Kyle Walker and Kieren Trippier ahead of him in the pecking order.

#2 Callum Hudson-Odoi

Calum Hudson-Odoi won the under-17 World Cup with England in 2017 in India and looked destined to become a big player for Chelsea. So far, he has already proven his worth by making a name for himself at Chelsea. However, under Maurizio Sarri, he has not been given many opportunities which has led to the young England winger feeling frustrated. Gareth Southgate should give Hudson-Odoi a confidence boost by handing him an international cap.

#1 Reiss Nelson

Scotland U21 v England U21 - 2019 UEFA European Under-21 Championship Qualifier

Reiss Nelson has so far impressed everyone on loan at Hoffenheim in the Bundesliga. Since joining the German side, Nelson has managed to gain 23 appearances and scored six goals along the way. The season may have had a few bumps for him with a recent injury and also a dip in the number of appearances but it is fair to say that is getting more playing time than he would have got at Arsenal.

With the Euros approaching, Southgate should give him a chance before next summer to see whether he can handle the pressure. It will be interesting to see whether Unai Emery will give him more game time next season after the impressive loan spell. Many believe, that if he does not get more game time next season, he may decide to leave the club on a permanent deal.