England under-21s take on Czech Republic on Friday in the first of three games over the course of ten days. Lee Carsley’s side will also meet Albania next Tuesday before rounding off their international break against Kosovo.
The Three Lions squad is a great mix of Premier League names, emerging lower league talent and players on the brink of a big breakthrough. Here are five players to watch ahead of this round of under-21s games.
Emile Smith Rowe
Already capped thrice for the full England side, Smith Rowe is a pivotal part of Arsenal’s youth revolution under Mikel Arteta. There likely won’t be many more England u-21 call-ups for the dynamic attacking midfielder. He is close to aging out of the group at 21 years of age, but even if that wasn’t the case his quality makes him a prime candidate for more first team caps.
Djed Spence
A name that has been on seemingly everyone’s lips, Spence is coming off a breakout season. On loan at Nottingham Forest from Middlesbrough, the 21-year-old full back is reportedly attracting interest from Tottenham Hotspur. The Tricky Trees are also thought to be exploring the possibility of taking him back to the City Ground. A strong showing for the under-21s over the course of these three fixtures will only increase the clamour for his signature.
Keane Lewis-Potter
A name that doesn’t immediately stand out to followers of the Premier League, but the Hull City forward merits his place. The striker helped fire the Tigers to promotion from League One in 2020-21. Lewis-Potter has carried his goalscoring form into the Championship, netting 12 times. Brentford and West Ham United are among the Premier League clubs circling the 21-year-old forward who has drawn comparisons to Jarrod Bowen.
There are four important #U21EURO qualifiers coming up for Lee Carsley's side.
Curtis Jones
The fact the midfielder already has 45 Premier League appearances for Liverpool to his name makes him a rare commodity at under-21 level. Players in the age group teams are usually either just breaking through at big clubs, or have accumulated the majority of their experience at lower league sides. Jones is increasingly becoming a trusted figure for Jurgen Klopp. Being surrounded by winners has been great for his development. The fact many of his midfield colleagues are reaching the end of their peak years could perhaps benefit him even further.
Morgan Gibbs-White
While it ended in heartbreak, this season was a pivotal one for Gibbs-White. On loan at Sheffield United from Wolverhampton Wanderers, the midfielder missed the spot kick that saw the Blades knocked out in the play-off semi-final. But the 22-year-old’s 11 Championship goals were instrumental in getting United there in the first place. This fact is not lost on the team who beat them that day, Nottingham Forest. Gibbs-White is reportedly a target as Steve Cooper’s side look to arm themselves for battle in the Premier League.
