Former Bristol Rovers loanee named in Gareth Southgate's provisional England squad for Euro 2024

Former Bristol Rovers loanee Jarell Quansah has been selected in Gareth Southgate’s provisional England squad for Euro 2024, just over 12 months after his temporary spell at the Mem.

Quansah is one of five uncapped players in Southgate’s 33-man group for the pre-tournament training camp having made 33 appearances for Liverpool in what has been a breakout season in the top-flight for the 21-year-old.

That was in-part made possible by the six months he spent at Rovers last season as Quansah was recruited by former manager Joey Barton to replace Bobby Thomas and made 16 apparances in the blue and white quarters over the second half of the campaign.

Quansah stood out with his technique, passing and calmness in possession but also struggled at times with the various aerial threats posed by League One opponents. That said, he was also placed in a challenging situation whereby he was, in effect, a senior centre-back in what was his first professional campaign.

“I’m mindful of not heaping too much on the kids but, why not?” Barton said last season, in response to a question around whether Quansah could one day play for England.

“He’s as good on the ball that you’ll need to be in terms of building out from the back. He’s going to get bigger, he’s going to get stronger, he’s going to get faster. His anticipation of the game is going to be better because more senior games get you that."

Quansah, who has been capped at every youth level from U16 through to U21, will now be competing for a place in Southgate’s final squad which has to be determined by June 7, with the tournament in Germany kicking off on June 14 and England’s first game against Serbia two days later.

The 21-year-old is one of seven centre-backs included alongside Harry Maguire, John Stones, Lewis Dunk, Ezri Konsa, Jarrad Branthwaite and Marc Guehi with Southgate having to cut seven from his group to meet the 26-man limit.

Marcus Rashford - who has been to the last four major tournaments - and vice-captain Jordan Henderson - a veteran of six tournaments - are the most high-profile omissions. The former has struggled for form at Manchester United this season, with the latter joining Ajax in January having made a controversial move to Saudi side Al-Ettifaq last summer.

Raheem Sterling's absence from the long list is less surprising, with Chelsea team-mates Ben Chilwell, Reece James and Levi Colwill also omitted.

Luke Shaw has been included despite being laid low since February, with Harry Kane, Harry Maguire, Anthony Gordon and Bukayo Saka also selected despite recent injury concerns. Southgate said there is a "significant number" of players carrying an injury, which will affect the make-up of the final squad.

"These are difficult calls, you are talking about players who are very good players who have been an important part of what we have done,” Southgate said. "With Marcus, I feel players in the same area of the pitch have had better seasons, it's as simple as that.

"Hendo has given himself every chance, the determining factor is the injury he picked up in the last camp, he missed five weeks and he just hasn't been able to get to the intensity in the games since then. He is a fantastic professional and it was a difficult call to make."

Southgate said Shaw is a "long shot" to make the tournament in Germany. "He is up against it, he has missed a lot of football," the boss added. "Because he has been our first-choice left-back we are giving him more time. I am not sure what is realistic at this moment in time. I have talked with him and the medical staff and I have liaised with Manchester United very closely. I have to say he is a long shot."

England training squad

Goalkeepers: Dean Henderson (Crystal Palace), Jordan Pickford (Everton), Aaron Ramsdale (Arsenal), James Trafford (Burnley)

Defenders: Jarrad Branthwaite (Everton), Lewis Dunk (Brighton & Hove Albion), Joe Gomez (Liverpool), Marc Guehi (Crystal Palace), Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa), Harry Maguire (Manchester United), Jarell Quansah (Liverpool), Luke Shaw (Manchester United), John Stones (Manchester City), Kieran Trippier (Newcastle United), Kyle Walker (Manchester City)

Midfielders: Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool), Conor Gallagher (Chelsea), Curtis Jones (Liverpool), Kobbie Mainoo (Manchester United), Declan Rice (Arsenal), Adam Wharton (Crystal Palace)

Forwards: Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid), Jarrod Bowen (West Ham), Eberechi Eze (Crystal Palace), Phil Foden (Manchester City), Anthony Gordon (Newcastle United), Jack Grealish (Manchester City), Harry Kane (Bayern Munich), James Maddison (Tottenham Hotspur), Cole Palmer (Chelsea), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), Ivan Toney (Brentford), Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa)