England's attacking midfield options - ranked
- Gareth Southgate has been criticised for not utilising his creative midfield players
- The England boss has a plethora of options in attacking areas
- The likes of Phil Foden, James Maddison and Jude Bellingham will be hunting a starting spot at Euro 2024
By Tom Gott, Sean Walsh
It's hard to believe that the England national team have had a problem with creativity for years.
After all, when it comes to attacking midfielders, the Three Lions boast the kind of depth most
countries can only dream of.
Gareth Southgate has a wealth of options at his disposal and has started introducing those
creative midfielders to his squad.
Let's take a look at who's out there, with one eye on Euro 2024.
9. Mason Mount
Mount has tumbled down the pecking order for the Three Lions, partly owing to his underwhelming first season at Manchester United. The 24-year-old may have plenty of national team experience, but he hasn't featured for England since the quarter-final of the 2022 World Cup.
The midfielder has struggled to make an impression at Old Trafford with most of the season being spent out injured. Southgate is unlikely to pick Mount until his club form picks up.
Mount seems set to go the bulk of the season without playing consistently for Man Utd, so the dream of Euro 2024 is almost certainly over.
8. Harvey Elliott
Elliott was part of the young England Under-21 side that lifted the Euros last summer and has been in impressive form with Liverpool since. Now fully transformed into an attack-minded central midfielder, the 20-year-old has shown the potential needed to get a call-up in the near future.
Yet to earn a senior cap, Elliott has the misfortune of fighting with some of the best players in world football for a spot in Southgate's midfield. He isn't starting every week for Liverpool, but his ability to play a few different roles will help him going forward.
7. Eberechi Eze
Eze firmly finds himself in Southgate's thinking these days having already represented England at senior level. The Crystal Palace man continues to develop with the Eagles, blossoming into a fine attacking midfielder.
His tricky feet and delightful dribbling makes him a great option for Southgate, although Eze will have to fend off some big names for a starting berth.
Given the competition in this area of the squad, he will need to end the season incredibly well to get a spot on the plane.
6. Morgan Gibbs-White
"We like Morgan, we think he's progressing well," said Southgate back in March 2023, with Gibbs-White having ended last season in sparkling form with Nottingham Forest.
While the midfielder, who has won the Under-21 Euros and Under-17 World Cup with England, has not hit the same heights this term, he remains a player that could break into Southgate's squad in the near future.
5. Conor Gallagher
It has been a very unusual season for Conor Gallagher, as he has been playing really well for Chelsea, whilst they keep trying to get rid of him.
He almost left in January but clearly wants to keep playing under Mauricio Pochettino. If he can add some more goals to his game during the rest of the season, Gallagher is an outside bet to head to Germany.
The fact he can play in a deeper role as well as behind a striker makes him an attractive and in-form option for EURO 2024.
4. Cole Palmer
Having been named in a senior squad for the second time now, Palmer's impressive performances for Chelsea have been well and truly rewarded by Southgate.
Since his big-money switch from Manchester City, the youngster has blossomed under Mauricio Pochettino's tutelage and is already one of the first names on the team sheet.
Having won the Under-21 Euros in the summer, Palmer is now ready for the step up. He can play in a handful of positions, which makes him even more appealing to Southgate at a tournament.
3. James Maddison
Maddison has been transformative since making the switch to Tottenham in the summer, a key creative focal point in Ange Postecoglou's new-look Spurs side.
After a period of being frozen out by Southgate, Maddison now finds himself firmly in the England manager's plans, picking up regular appearances for the Three Lions.
He suffered an injury which coincided with the November international break, but he has been impressive again since coming back and he made it into the March international squad.
2. Phil Foden
Foden has been an ever-present in the England squad since making his debut back in 2020. The Manchester City star is a guaranteed pick for Euro 2024 and has done his chances of starting at the tournament no harm with his recent showings at club level.
The 23-year-old also offers Southgate the versatility of being able to play in wide areas or as a number ten, making him an incredibly useful asset.
Foden is a manager's dream and it's up to Southgate to get the best out of him in a white shirt.
1. Jude Bellingham
Bellingham's meteoric rise has been nothing short of astonishing, yet at the same time it hasn't been all that surprising.
The marquee signing for Real Madrid has looked destined to reach the top of the game ever since he pulled on a Borussia Dortmund shirt, and it now appears that he's ready to run things for England on the international stage.
Undoubtedly, Bellingham is one of Gareth Southgate's immediate picks.
READ MORE ON ENGLAND'S SQUAD OPTIONS AHEAD OF EURO 2024
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