England squad handed triple boost but Lauren James injury a concern | OneFootball

Georgia Stanway, Lauren Hemp and Alex Greenwood have returned to the England squad for the first time this year in a major boost to Sarina Wiegman ahead of this summer’s Euros, but Lauren James will miss the Women’s Nations League deciders against Portugal and Spain.

James suffered a hamstring injury during England’s 5-0 win over Belgium last month, with her club Chelsea only saying she was out for “a period of time”. That is now set to include the Wembley game against Portugal on 30 May and the trip to Spain on 3 June, with James now facing a race to be fit for England’s final Euros squad next month.

The games against Portugal and world champions Spain are England’s final fixtures before Wiegman names her squad for their European Championship defence in June. England will play one send-off game, against Jamaica in Leicester on 29 June, before travelling to Switzerland and Wiegman said she will give “special” James every chance of making the squad.

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The injury to Lauren James appears to be worse than expected (Getty Images)

“We don't know. She's working really hard to get fit,” Wiegman said “I just want to give it a chance. She's a special player who has moments in the game where she can be decisive. Let's see how far she gets and what she can bring us. I know she's absolutely working really hard to get there [for the Euros].”

Wiegman added that there could be room for “one player” named in her final squad who is not quite fully ready but has a chance to build their fitness before England’s opening game against France on 5 July. The England manager took Millie Bright to the last World Cup even though the defender had not played for months, but she recovered in time to start every game at the tournament.

James’ chances could be helped by the returns of Hemp, Greenwood and Stanway - three important regulars for Wiegman who won the Euros three years ago. Hemp and Greenwood have returned from long injury lay-offs but Stanway has still not played since December after undergoing knee surgery but is at least back in training with Bayern Munich, so has more time on her side.

“She still needs to build,” Wiegman said of Stanway. “What we know is she can come into camp and continue building with us and hopefully towards the Euros she can be healthy and can handle the training loads and the recovery. She has to be performing at the highest level – at her highest level – to compete for the position just like everyone else.

“[James] wants to go to the Euros and hopefully we can get her fit and ready to go into it. “She needs to be healthy, she needs to be able to train and come through the training, then we can build a bit. We need to find balance in the squad. You can’t bring in three or four players in that stage. But probably one player who has been doing really well can be given an opportunity.”

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Hemp is back in the England squad after missing most of the season (The FA via Getty Images)

Wiegman named a 27-player squad for the games against Portugal and Spain that included a first call up for 22-year-old defender Ella Morris and sees striker Michelle Agyemang retain her place after scoring on her debut in the defeat to Belgium last month.

The Dutch coach will have to trim her selection to 23 players, but she has again named four goalkeepers and a number of members of the Under-23s squad, including Tottenham defender Morris, uncapped Aston Villa midfielder Missy Bo Kearns and Brighton striker Agyemang.

With Arsenal facing Barcelona in the Women’s Champions League final in Lisbon on Saturday 24 May, captain Leah Williamson, Alessia Russo, Beth Mead and Chloe Kelly are set to join up with the squad at St George’s Park on Monday 26 May.

The Lionesses were beaten by Belgium away from home in the second leg of their double-header last month and trail Group A3 leaders Spain by two points going into the final two games.England drew 1-1 at Portugal in February before beating Spain at Wembley a few days later.

Goalkeepers: Mary Earps, Hannah Hampton, Anna Moorhouse, Khiara Keating

Defenders: Millie Bright, Lucy Bronze, Jess Carter, Niamh Charles, Alex Greenwood, Maya Le Tissier, Esme Morgan, Ella Morris, Leah Williamson

Midfielders: Grace Clinton, Missy Bo Kearns, Fran Kirby, Jess Park, Georgia Stanway, Ella Toone, Keira Walsh