England Under-21’s boss, Gareth Southgate, has named his initial long-list squad for this summer’s Under 21’s European Championships, and Arsenal defensive duo, Carl Jenkinson and Calum Chambers have both been included, alongside recent former Gunner and now Wolverhampton Wanderers striker, Benik Afobe.
Jenkinson has impressed after consistent first-team action on-loan at West Ham United this season, as the boyhood Gunner will look to not only make Southgate’s finalised squad to the tournament in the Czech Republic, but fight his way back into the right-back position within Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal side next season.
However competition is fierce on the right hand side of the Gunners defence at present and Jenkinson will be directly vying for not only an Arsenal starting spot, but possibly Under 21’s start this summer against North London team-mate, Chambers.
The young versatile defender, since arriving from Southampton last summer, has made a promising beginning to life at the Emirates Stadium at right and centre back, including a senior England debut earlier in the campaign. His current boss, Wenger, has made no secret that a definitive future position may lay elsewhere however, currently Chambers could be within competition with Arsenal team-mate, Jenkinson, for a berth in the Young Lions side from June.
Elsewhere in the 27-player list, which will be cut to 23 on June the 2nd, is former Gunners youngster, Afobe, who is rewarded for a superb goal-scoring season, initially on-loan in League One at MK Dons, then after his permanent move to Championship side, Wolves.
Afobe netted 13 times in 21 games for the West Midlands club after signing from Arsenal midway through the season, bringing his total tally for this year’s campaign to 32, following 19 goals during the first half of the term at MK Dons, including a brace against Manchester United in the early rounds of the League Cup.
The 22-year-old is the country’s highest scorer for 2014/15 and will now look to take his domestic form into the younger international stage.
England Under-21’s will play Belarus in a friendly at Barnsley’s, Oakwell, on June the 11th before setting off for Eastern Europe, where they will play alongside Italy, Portugal and Sweden in Group B of the competition in the Czech Republic.
England Under 21’s full long list squad:
Goalkeepers: Marcus Bettinelli (Fulham), Jonathan Bond (Watford), Jack Butland (Stoke City)
Defenders: Calum Chambers (Arsenal), Eric Dier (Tottenham Hotspur), Luke Garbutt (Everton), Ben Gibson (Middlesbrough), Carl Jenkinson (Arsenal, loan to West Ham United), Michael Keane (Burnley), Liam Moore (Leicester City), John Stones (Everton), Matt Targett (Southampton)
Midfielders: Tom Carroll (Tottenham Hotspur, loan to Swansea City), Nathaniel Chalobah (Chelsea), Will Hughes (Derby County), Jake Forster-Caskey (Brighton & Hove Albion), Jesse Lingard (Manchester United), Ruben Loftus-Cheek (Chelsea), Alex Pritchard (Tottenham Hotspur), Nathan Redmond (Norwich City), James Ward-Prowse (Southampton)
Forwards: Benik Afobe (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Patrick Bamford (Chelsea, loan to Middlesbrough), Saido Berahino (West Bromwich Albion), Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur), Danny Ings (Burnley), Cauley Woodrow (Fulham)