Niamh Charles not dwelling on England injuries in busy end to season | OneFootball

England defender Niamh Charles is narrowing her focus to prevent the Lionesses’ growing injury list from creeping into her own psyche less than three months out from Euro 2025.

Arsenal striker Alessia Russo, her in-form Gunners team-mate Chloe Kelly and Chelsea forward Lauren James have all withdrawn from Sarina Wiegman’s latest squad, who have travelled to Belgium for their fourth Nations League Group C encounter.

With a congested calendar still ahead – including the conclusions of the Women’s Super League, FA Cup and Champions League campaigns – Chelsea full-back Charles agreed players can be tempted into worrying about becoming the next injury victim – and potentially missing out on England’s title defence this summer.

She said: “I think you can start thinking like that but I think as players we’re very much drilled in next game, next game, next game and just sort of making it smaller.

“Obviously, yes, when you look at what’s coming up in the summer – but for me personally as a player, it’s definitely just the next thing, the next game, and I know that if I stick to what I’ve been doing, the right sort of recovery, then that’s all I can control.

“I think that’s what we do as players is just focus on the small thing, what’s coming next.”

James returned to Chelsea with a hamstring issue, while Kelly has a foot injury and the nature of Russo’s problem was not specified.

Tottenham’s Jess Naz has replaced James and Brighton’s Michelle Agyemang, on loan from Arsenal, has earned a first senior call-up in place of Russo.

Asked if she was “concerned” about the severity of James and Russo’s issues, Wiegman said: “I hope not, but time will tell.”

Group leaders England will regroup in May for the remainder of the Nations League opening stage, first hosting Portugal at Wembley on May 30 then travelling to World Cup holders Spain on June 3.

Wiegman expects to name her squad for the Switzerland tournament sometime after that Spain encounter, explaining: “Things can happen. Everyone needs to keep performing, so I want to use that final window to move into the Euros.”

The most recently injured join a list already occupied by influential England talents including Georgia Stanway, Alex Greenwood and Lauren Hemp.

Wiegman added: “I hope (Hemp, Stanway and Greenwood) they will be back but I can’t give any timings. We just have a lot of hope that they’ll be performing and healthy and be able to train.”

Arsenal and Chelsea are both through to the Champions League semi-finals, with the first legs taking place the weekend of April 19, while the WSL-leading Blues also remain in contention for a quadruple and host Liverpool in the FA Cup final four on Saturday.

Wiegman added: “I wouldn’t say (fitness) is a worry. It’s just that those are the facts, and we’re trying to get time schedules as far as possible for players to come back and perform.

“Of course, first they need to be healthy, then they need to be able to train, then they need to be able to perform, and that’s what it’s all about.”