Aston Villa's Ollie Watkins dealt huge World Cup blow as Thomas Tuchel names latest England squad
Villa striker Ollie Watkins has been dealt a huge blow ahead of this summer's World Cup.
The 30-year-old forward was named in Thomas Tuchel's England squad for games against Latvia and Wales back in October.
However, he picked up an injury in the clash with Wales and returned to Villa. He was then left out of the November squad for games against Serbia and Albania.
And Watkins has now been left out of Tuchel's latest squad for the upcoming friendlies against Uruguay and Japan, putting a big blow in his hopes of earning a place in the Three Lions' squad for this summer' World Cup.
It comes after the former Brentford striker has endured a difficult 2026 - netting just three goals in his last 16 appearances for Villa.
There is a place in the 35 man squad for defender Ezri Konsa - with Morgan Rogers also selected.
Tuchel announced the squad on Friday morning - with a plan to have 'two camps' ahead of the friendly games.
He said: "We decided to divide it into basically two camps almost, so we bring players in that we haven’t seen who haven’t played so much to open up the picture, and the competition for plane tickets to the US.
“Then from Friday and Saturday, a group of players will come into camp – ten or eleven players who get a rest before and we will then go with a new group and mix of players into the match against Japan.”
Elsewhere in the squad, James Garner is one of two uncapped players to have been called up, alongside Brighton goalkeeper Jason Steele.
Manchester United duo Harry Maguire and Kobbie Mainoo have been recalled, alongside AC Milan defender Fikayo Tomori who is in the squad for the first time since November 2018.
Leeds striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin is also back in the set up for the first time in five years - with Dominic Solanke also making a return.
Goalkeepers: Dean Henderson (Crystal Palace), Jordan Pickford (Everton), James Trafford (Manchester City), Aaron Ramsdale (Newcastle United), Jason Steele (Brighton & Hove Albion)
Defenders: Dan Burn (Newcastle United), Marc Guéhi (Manchester City), Lewis Hall (Newcastle United), Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa), Tino Livramento (Newcastle United), Harry Maguire (Manchester United), Nico O'Reilly (Manchester City), Jarell Quansah (Bayer Leverkusen), Djed Spence (Tottenham Hotspur), John Stones (Manchester City), Fikayo Tomori (AC Milan)
Midfielders: Elliot Anderson (Nottingham Forest), Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid), James Garner (Everton), Jordan Henderson (Brentford), Kobbie Mainoo (Manchester United), Declan Rice (Arsenal), Morgan Rogers (Aston Villa), Adam Wharton (Crystal Palace)
Forwards: Jarrod Bowen (West Ham United), Dominic Calvert-Lewin (Leeds United), Eberechi Eze (Arsenal), Phil Foden (Manchester City), Anthony Gordon (Newcastle United), Harry Kane (Bayern Munich), Noni Madueke (Arsenal), Cole Palmer (Chelsea), Marcus Rashford (Barcelona, loan from Manchester United), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), Dominic Solanke (Tottenham Hotspur)
