Sarina Wiegman still weighing up options before naming England's Euros squad
England boss Sarina Wiegman revealed she was still tinkering with options ahead of naming her squad for this summer's Euros on Thursday.
Chelsea forward Aggie Beever-Jones certainly made a case for inclusion on Friday night, when she became just the second Lioness to score a hat-trick at Wembley in England's 6-0 Nations League dismantling of Portugal.
Wiegman agreed she and her team needed to consider a number of factors – including fitness and relationships – when choosing which 23 players would defend England's title in Switzerland.
'Of course you want these connections,' said Wiegman. 'Some players play more together than others. You have your opponents and of course, we still have players that are building too, so can they go to the level they had before they had injuries?
'I don't know yet. We're still trying out things and finding the balance.'
England must beat World Cup holders Spain in their final Nations League group-stage meeting on Tuesday to clinch top of their group and advance to the autumn knockouts, which will determine the 2025 winners.
It is also a final opportunity for players who might feel they are on the fringe to fight for their spot in Switzerland.
Clinching at least second spot in Group Three through the Portugal triumph means England avoid a more complicated play-off situation and secure a more-favourable qualifying pathway for the 2027 Women's World Cup in Brazil.
Long-term injured trio Alex Greenwood, Georgia Stanway and Lauren Hemp all returned to the pitch against Portugal, the latter starting and looking in form on Friday night.
'They've worked so hard to get where they are right now and that's what they showed,' added Wiegman.
'If you haven't put all the work in it to this point, then you cannot have a good performance, so I'm really happy with that.
'Of course we need to keep building, the Euros are really coming close and at the same time, we want to perform in the Nations League, so we are trying to find that balance.'
One of the biggest questions ahead of Thursday's announcement is whether or not Chelsea forward Lauren James – who scored three goals and added three assists at the 2023 World Cup – will have recovered enough from the hamstring injury she sustained in April.
Arsenal striker Alessia Russo was forced to sit out Friday night's encounter with a calf issue, but Wiegman said before the contest that she hoped the Women's Super League joint-Golden Boot winner would be available to face Spain.
'We have so many options up front in the squad right now,' Wiegman added. 'And what we also hope for is that LJ (James) is coming back too.
'She's already up and doing good, so trying to build her too, seeing what the competition of course will be.
'I hope every striker will be fit that we have now in the squad and LJ added to that, it's going to be really hard for me to make decisions for the Euros squad.'
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