Ten players that England could still take to Brazil this summer.
10. Luke Shaw – Southampton
The Saints full-back made his debut for the senior side earlier this month in the victory over Denmark, and is in all probability going to be the long term holder of the left-back slot for club and country very soon. However, it may be a little too soon for him to make it into the final squad for this year’s tournament as Ashley Cole will undoubtedly be given one more chance on the world stage with Leighton Baines backing him up. An injury to either of them, though, could see Shaw catapulted into the spotlight once again.
9. Tom Ince – Blackpool (on loan at Crystal Palace)
Absolutely electric for the under-21s, but has yet to make headway into the senior side. He is perhaps paying the price for staying loyal to Blackpool for so long, but that will most likely do him good in the future. He linked up with Palace in January for the remainder of the season and could still impress enough to be in with an outside chance of making it to South America.
8. Saido Berahino – West Bromwich Albion
The 20-year-old bust onto the scene earlier this season with a quick succession of goals that saw him prop the Baggies up into a mid-table position. However, the scoring has dried up recently, and he has only found the net once in 2014, but with plenty of games yet to go he may still be able to fire himself into double figure as well as Roy Hodgson’s plans.
7. Jon Flanagan – Liverpool
The young full-back has come in for some unwarranted criticism this season despite holding down the fort in difficult circumstances. Still raw and prone to committing needless fouls, he is learning how to temper himself under one of the country’s finest champions of young talent and could be given a chance in Brazil thanks to Hodgson’s proclivity for Liverpool players.
6. Jay Rodriguez – Southampton
The former Burnley man has recently joined club teammates Adam Lallana and Rickie Lambert in the national team fold, and could usurp the latter when it’s time to name the final 23. Lambert has been used from the bench by Saints boss Mauricio Pochettino recently and that could cost him his spot, but that would ultimately be good news for Rodriguez if he continues to score.
5. Fabian Delph – Aston Villa
The combative midfielder has been been one of the few bright sparks for an otherwise dull Villa team and has finally began to fulfil the potential he showed at leeds. Hodgson has overlooked him so far, but his passing, tackling, and now shooting can’t keep him out of the manager’s thoughts for too much longer surely.
4. Steven Caulker – Cardiff City
It seems strange that a Cardiff defender should be included in the clamour for a place in the squad, but Caulker has been immense for the Bluebirds in their maiden Premier League season, so much so that he is now their joint top scorer. IF he doesn’t make it this summer, he will be nailed on for the next one in four years as he has matured greatly over the course of the current campaign.
3. Nathan Redmond – Norwich City
Like Delph at Villa, Redmond has been a bright spark for Norwich in what has otherwise been an incredibly dull campaign that still may result in them making a return to the Championship. He wasn’t their biggest signing last summer, but he has surpassed them all thanks to his direct dribbling and persistent crossing. Could be in with a chance at filling the void left by Theo Walcott.
2. Adam Johnson – Sunderland
The winger has finally began to get back to his best after a difficult spell at Manchester City and is the main man leading the charge to keep Sunderland in the top flight this season. If he can be the player that everybody thought he could then he will be a very dangerous weapon indeed.
1. Tom Huddleston – Hull City
With no disrespect to Hull City, it is astounding that no bigger clubs went in for the former Spurs man last summer, but the fine work he has done for the Humberside club so far this season has put him right back in contention of a place in Brazil.