2 hours ago
2
Manchester City youngster Nico O'Reilly has been handed his first call-up to the England senior squad after an impressive run of form for his club.
This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more
Nico O'Reilly has been called up to the England squad for fixtures against Wales and Latvia after a string of impressive performances for Manchester City.
The 20-year-old has started seven successive games for the Blues at left-back and his form has earned him a late call-up to Thomas Tuchel's squad for the friendly with Wales and the World Cup qualifier with Latvia.
O'Reilly was named in the England Under-21 squad in September but was forced to pull out. However, his form for City over the past month has been exceptional as he stands in for the injured Rayan Ait-Nouri at left-back.
Although he considers himself a midfielder, O'Reilly has shone at left-back since being given opportunities there last season and the fact he has replaced Reece James in the England squad suggests he will be used at full-back by Tuchel.
A statement from the FA said: "Manchester City’s Nico O’Reilly has received his first call up to the England senior squad.
"The 20-year-old moves across from the MU21s squad and comes into contention for the Three Lions’ forthcoming fixtures against Wales and Latvia.
"The inclusion of O’Reilly, who has been capped from MU15 through to MU20 level, follows the withdrawal of Reece James.
"The Chelsea captain sustained an injury playing for his club over the weekend and has been ruled out of England’s October internationals following medical assessments."
O'Reilly has made rapid progress this year and his rise to the senior set-up without making so far being capped at Under-21 level is evidence of that. He has made just 22 starts in all competitions for City, of which 10 have been in the Premier League.
England face Wales at Wembley on Thursday before heading to Riga for their latest World Cup qualifier next Tuesday.
---
Here at the Manchester Evening News, we’re dedicated to bringing you the best Manchester City coverage and analysis.
Make sure you don’t miss out on the latest City news by joining our free WhatsApp group. You can get all the breaking news and best analysis sent straight to your phone by clicking here to subscribe.
You can also subscribe to our free newsletter service. Click here to be sent all the day’s biggest stories.
And finally, if you’d rather listen to our expert analysis then make sure to check out our Talking City podcast. Our shows are available on all podcast platforms, including Spotify and Apple Podcasts, and you can also watch along on YouTube.
English (US) ·