Attacking midfielder Cole Palmer has been rewarded for his good form at Chelsea this season with a call-up to manager Gareth Southgate's England squad for the final two Euro 2024 qualifying matches. Southgate has added to his squad the 21-year-old as well as Aston Villa central defender Ezri Konsa and Manchester City right-back Rico Lewis for the matches against Malta and North Macedonia, after James Maddison's injury withdrawals, Lewis Dunk and Callum Wilson.
Konsa, 26, and Lewis, 18, are also called up for the first time. The Chelsea winger, who scored the equalizer in stoppage time from the penalty spot in the 4-4 draw against Manchester City in the Premier League, was part of the England team that won the Championship of Europe Espoirs in July.
In search of more playing time, Palmer was transferred for £42 million (€51 million) from Manchester City to Chelsea on September 1. England, already qualified for the final phase of Euro 2024 in Germany, welcomes Malta to Wembley on Friday before facing North Macedonia three days later.