Gareth Southgate keeping close eye on Everton ace Dominic Calvert-Lewin but potential roadblock for England recall shared
England boss Gareth Southgate is keeping a close eye on Everton ace Dominic Calvert-Lewin ahead of Euro 2024 but one potential roadblock to a recall has been shared by Daily Mail journalist Sami Mokbel.
Calvert-Lewin endured two injury-hit campaigns but has stayed mainly injury free this campaign and has three goals in 12 Premier League appearances this term.
Southgate was in attendance as the Toffees beat Chelsea 2-0 at Goodison Park on Sunday and Mokbel said the Three Lions manager was keeping a watchful eye on Calvert-Lewin and Jarrad Branthwaite.
However, he added that the imminent return of Brentford striker Ivan Toney from a betting ban might make life hard for Calvert-Lewin, even though Southgate is a fan of his talents.
“Calvert-Lewin’s return to fitness has also come as boost to Southgate, who is devoid of a traditional centre-forward in his squad behind Harry Kane,” Mokbel wrote for the Daily Mail‘s online version (11 December).
“The Toffees striker became a fixture in Southgate’s squad, but injuries have prevented his progress at international level.
“Southgate is an admirer of a fully fit Calvert-Lewin, but with Ivan Toney’s betting suspension ending next month the Brentford striker will also come into contention for a recall.”
Keep doing your thing Dominic
It is great news for Everton and Calvert-Lewin that he is once more on the radar of Southgate because he is performing to a high standard for his club, which will eventually lead once more to opportunities with the Three Lions.
The 26-year-old has four goals in 11 international appearances and Southgate was a big fan of his as a back-up option to captain and Bayern Munich ace Harry Kane, who is unlikely be usurped as England’s main striker.
Of course, there is the added complication for Calvert-Lewin now of Toney’s imminent return, although it remains to be seen what sort of form and fitness he will be in after such a lengthy ban.
For Calvert-Lewin, it is quite a simple scenario. Keep working hard, keep performing, score some more goals for Everton, and make the decision easy for Southgate. Do that and everybody wins and who knows? His name might be on the plan to Germany at Euro 2024 next summer.
In other Everton news, Richard Keys is in awe of one figure who the Toffees dumped.