BREAKING NEWS Sarina Wiegman gambles on fitness of Lionesses star as England boss names 23-player squad for European Championship defence
Sarina Wiegman has announced her 23-player squad for this summer's upcoming European Championship title defence, and the England boss has gambled on Lauren James ' fitness by including the Chelsea star in her side.
The 2022 champions will travel to Switzerland to begin their campaign against Group D rivals France in exactly a month's time, before taking on Netherlands and then Wales as they look to book a spot in the knockout stages and then ultimately the final on July 27.
James hasn't played since suffering a hamstring injury during a Nations League game against Belgium in April, and Wiegman said earlier this week that she is progressing 'really well'.
The forward burst onto the global scene during the 2023 World Cup and has quickly become one of the Lionesses most exciting young talents, a point ratified by Wiegman's choice to include her despite her recent fitness struggles.
There was a surprising call-up for 19-year-old Michelle Agyemang.
The Arsenal striker, who spent this season on loan at Brighton, has only made one appearance for the Lionesses – in a 3-2 defeat to Belgium last month.
Agyemang came off the bench and scored 41 seconds into her debut, but had not played in England's last two Nations League games before Thursday's announcement. Agyemang's Brighton teammate, 31-year-old Lioness veteran Nikita Parris, misses out.
There will be tournament debuts for seven players. Besides Agyemang these are Manchester United's Maya Le Tissier and Grace Clinton, Manchester City's Khiara Keating and Jess Park, Chelsea's Aggie Beever-Jones, and Orlando Pride's Anna Moorhouse.
The build-up to the announcement has been far from smooth sailing for the Dutch coach, with three players in Mary Earps, Millie Bright and Fran Kirby all withdrawing ahead of Thursday's announcement.
Goalkeeper Earps was the first to announce her shock retirement last week after falling behind Hannah Hampton in the race for the No 1 shirt in a move which angered the England head coach, and her departure has left Hampton as the only capped goalkeeper in the squad.
Then, Kirby called time on her decorated 11-year career on Tuesday night. The 31-year-old Brighton forward had been told she wouldn't make it into the squad unless someone got injured.
Finally, Bright made her announcement on Wednesday, saying that she was unable to 'give 100 per cent mentally and physically' to join up.
The vice-captain, who wore the armband during the 2023 World Cup, added she felt it was not 'fair to take the place' of another player if they were ready to 'give everything for the badge and country'.
Concerns of a crisis within Wiegman's walls have been steadily growing, but the certainty of who has been selected should help calm things down.
Leah Williamson will wear the armband once again.
The Arsenal defender captained the Lionesses to glory in 2022, and is a welcome presence after missing the Lionesses' last major tournament, the 2023 World Cup in Australia, after suffering an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL).
Another good sight for England fans is the Euros 2022 final goal scorer Chloe Kelly, who was on the fringes of making it into this squad just six months ago.
After spending the beginning of this season on the bench at Manchester City, a January loan move to Arsenal has worked wonders, capped off with a Champions League trophy to show for it.
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