Gareth Southgate makes call on Leeds United men for England squad and Kalvin Phillips

England will take on Italy at the San Siro on Friday, September 23 before facing Germany at Wembley on Monday, September 26 as the countdown continues to the 2022 winter World Cup in Qatar.

Leeds United’s squad currently features one England international but Whites no 9 Patrick Bamford is not included in Southgate’s latest squad as he continues to work his way back to full fitness after last season’s injury troubles.

Bamford made the England squad for the first time last September and was handed a Three Lions debut in the World Cup qualifier against Andorra at Wembley.

That outing remains the striker’s sole appearance in an England shirt although the forward also made the bench for the same month’s World Cup qualifiers in Hungary and Poland.

Whites winger Jack Harrison is another player widely reported to be firmly on Southgate’s radar but the 25-year-old’s wait for a first call-up to the Three Lions squad continues.

But former Leeds star Kalvin Phillips is once again included in Southgate’s squad despite having bagged only limited game time for new club Manchester City upon his summer switch from the Whites.

Phillips is one of just five midfielders named in Southgate’s 28-man group although Liverpool’s Jordan Henderson is currently injured. There is no place for Chelsea’s former Whites target Conor Gallagher.

Brentord striker Ivan Toney is included in the squad for the first time, fresh from netting a hat-trick against Leeds in the 5-2 dismantling of the Whites earlier this month.

Manchester United forwards Jadon Sancho and Marcus Rashford both miss out – the latter injured – and there is no place for Arsenal’s former Whites loanee Ben White among a raft of defenders.

White has recently been deployed as a right back, a position in which Southgate has a stack of options which is not helping the cause of Leeds ace Luke Ayling who is now back fit after knee surgery.

This month’s two Nations League clashes mark England’s final two competitive games before the World Cup which starts on Sunday, November 20.

England’s first game in Qatar is against Iran on Monday, November 21.

The September international break is the final international break before the six-week pause to the Premier League season for the World Cup.

The Premier League season breaks off until Boxing Day following the round of games over the second weekend of November.

England have no friendlies planned before the World Cup itself.