Winners & losers: How Euros delay could affect England players | OneFootball

Euro 2021 has been delayed by a year, but what does it mean for the players?

Plenty of England stars have had their chances of going to the tournament either helped or hindered by the new schedule.

So who are the winners and who are the losers?

Winners

Harry Kane

Unlike the 2018 World Cup, Kane doesn’t have to force his way back to fitness ahead of schedule now. The England skipper tends to rush back from setbacks, such is his determination to play, but it can sometimes see him struggling for form.

With the Euros shifted by 12 months, he should have time to recover fully and see off competition for his place from the likes of Tammy Abraham.

Bukayo Saka

England have so many right-back options. On the left, they aren’t so blessed. Ben Chilwell is now first choice but Danny Rose has been unconvincing for a while, Ashley Young hasn’t been capped since 2018 and Luke Shaw is far from guaranteed a place.

Bukayo Saka, though, has shone for Arsenal under Mikel Arteta. A natural winger, the 18-year-old is superb going forward and could slot into Southgate’s side perfectly if he continues to impress when football returns.

Dean Henderson

An under-20 World Cup winner, Henderson has now come into his own at senior level. Shining for Sheffield United this season, there’s a real conversation to be had about whether he should be England and Manchester United number one.

If he cracks the latter next season, the former will be a formality.

Phil Foden

David Silva will leave Manchester City this summer and the door is open for Foden to replace him. A place in the England squad will surely follow.

Widely tipped as the best talent in English football, there’s no reason not to believe the extra year will mean more time in the Manchester City team and a spot at next summer’s tournament.

Losers

Kyle Walker

Walker hasn’t played for England since the Nations League finals last June.

Initially, Gareth Southgate had said he was just being rested but we aren’t so sure. The move away from a back three, which saw Walker used at centre-back in 2018, has done his hopes significant harm.

With Trent Alexander-Arnold and Aaron Wan-Bissaka both much younger and Kieran Trippier impressing with Atlético Madrid, we think the extra 12 months could end Walker’s hopes of ever playing for his country again.

Jordan Pickford

We already touched on Dean Henderson above and he is primed to take Pickford’s number one shirt.

The Everton stopper has had a poor season and, if Henderson keeps impressing at the top level, his place has to be up for grabs.

Jack Grealish

Grealish has had the season of his life and was nailed on for his first senior call-up this month. We all know why that hasn’t happened.

His England ambitions aren’t helped by the fact he’s competing with the likes of James Maddison, Jadon Sancho and the aforementioned Foden for a creative role in the side and, with Villa facing relegation, it might have been now or, well, not never. But now or later.

Jesse Lingard

Like Walker, Lingard hasn’t featured for England for nine months and has also fallen out of favour (and form) at Manchester United.

If one of him and Dele Alli gets a recall, it has to be Alli.