Why Man City teenager is training with England squad ahead of Wales fixture

A teenage Manchester City defender has been drafted into training with the England senior squad as they prepare to face Wales at Wembley.

Manchester City's teenage defender Lakyle Samuel was called up to train with Thomas Tuchel's England squad on Wednesday as the Three Lions continued their preparations for their October double header.

England face Wales in a friendly at Wembley on Thursday and head to Latvia for a World Cup qualifier in Riga on Tuesday. Tuchel named a 24-man squad for those games, so has had to use the age-group sides to make up the numbers in training.

With all England sides training at St George's Park, it is easier for Tuchel to call young players into the senior set-up on training days, and he has used the Under-20s to bolster numbers.

That meant a call-up for full-back Lakyle Samuel. The 19-year-old is currently on loan at League Two Bromley from City and played the full game in their 3-3 draw with Tranmere on Saturday.

Samuel was joined in the senior group for the day by Manchester United youngster Shea Lacey and Chelsea's Harrison Murray-Campbell, all three of who had moved up from the Under-20s.

They will return to Ben Futcher's side to take on Switzerland at St George's Park on Friday (12noon).

Samuel, the son of former Premier League defender J-Lloyd Samuel, who tragically died in a car crash in 2018, has been with City since the Under-9s and has racked up 59 appearances for the club's Elite Development Squad.

His move to Bromley is his first taste of senior football. Speaking to the MEN last year, he explained how much he had benefitted from being on tour with City's first-team squad in the summer of 2024 and working with Pep Guardiola.

"He was amazing, honestly. He has helped me to improve on my defensive actions and my body shape and how to read the game better.

"He has even helped off the pitch, trying to enjoy myself. Before I came on he was saying to just enjoy myself.

"Because you see him on TV and he’s so energetic, but when you’re with him he’s a really nice guy. When he said I was coming on I was like ‘it’s happening’. When he was speaking to me I was thinking ‘no mistakes, just perform’.

"There’s no need to do anything extra. If you keep it simple then you’ll always come out on top. There’s no reason to do extravagant stuff or anything you don’t really do. He just tells you to be yourself."

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