By Jessica Harman
3 May 2011 17:02:00
England under-21 manager Stuart Pearce (PA)
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England Under-21 head coach Stuart Pearce has named his provisional 40-man squad for this summer’s upcoming Uefa Under-21 Championship in Denmark.
It is a somewhat impressive squad, with six players already previously appeared for the England senior team: Andy Carroll, Danny Welbeck, Jack Wilshere, Jordan Henderson, Micah Richards and Kieran Gibbs.
The 40-strong group, who are currently ranked number one in Uefa’s European rankings, will be cut down to final 23 by June 1, ahead of England’s opener against Spain.
There are four goalkeepers in contention for the final squad, as well as 12 defenders, including Manchester United’s Chris Smalling, Arsenal’s Keiran Gibbs, Manchester City’s Micah Richards and Chelsea’s on-loan centre-back Michael Mancienne.
There is a place in the squad for Arsenal and England’s rising star Jack Wilshere, among a group of 15 midfielders named by Pearce. Other notable midfield players include Chelsea star Josh McEachran and regulars Jack Rodwell, Danny Rose and Fabrice Muamba.
The final squad are guaranteed a fierce attacking force as the nine strikers included in the provisional squad include £35 million transfer record-breaker Andy Carroll, Manchester United’s on-loan Danny Welbeck and Chelsea’s on-loan Daniel Sturridge.
The England Under-21 squad, who finished runners-up in the same tournament in 2009, will fly out to Denmark on June 8 to begin preparations, although prior to that they will face fellow finalists Norway in a warm-up friendly fixture at Southampton’s St Mary’s Stadium on June 5.
GOALKEEPERS
Frankie Fielding (Blackburn Rovers), Scott Loach (Watford), Jason Steele (Middlesbrough), Alex McCarthy (Reading),
DEFENDERS
Joe Bennett (Middlesbrough), Ryan Bertrand (Chelsea), Kieran Gibbs (Arsenal), Phil Jones (Blackburn Rovers), Michael Mancienne (Wolverhampton Wanderers – loan from Chelsea), Ben Mee (Leicester City – loan from Manchester City), Kyle Naughton (Leicester City – loan from Tottenham), Micah Richards (Manchester City), Chris Smalling (Manchester United), James Tomkins (West Ham United), Kieran Trippier (Barnsley – loan from Manchester City), Kyle Walker (Aston Villa – loan from Tottenham Hotspur),
MIDFIELDERS
Marc Albrighton (Aston Villa), Jack Cork (Burnley – loan from Chelsea), Tom Cleverley (Wigan Athletic – loan from Man Utd), Mark Davies (Bolton Wanderers), Adam Hammill (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Jordan Henderson (Sunderland), Jonathan Howson (Leeds United), Adam Lallana (Southampton), Henri Lansbury (Norwich City – loan from Arsenal), Josh McEachran (Chelsea), Fabrice Muamba (Bolton Wanderers), Jack Rodwell (Everton), Danny Rose (Tottenham Hotspur), Scott Sinclair (Swansea City), Jack Wilshere (Arsenal)
FORWARDS
Andy Carroll (Liverpool), Nathan Delfouneso (Burnley – loan from Aston Villa), Gary Hooper (Celtic), Jay Rodriguez (Burnley), Freddie Sears (West Ham United), Daniel Sturridge (Bolton Wanderers – loan from Chelsea), James Vaughan (Crystal Palace – loan from Everton), Danny Welbeck (Sunderland – loan from Man Utd), Connor Wickham (Ipswich Town)