England's winger options - ranked
- Raheem Sterling was a nailed-on starter for years but has fallen down the pecking order since moving to Chelsea
- Arsenal's Bukayo Saka has become Gareth Southgate's first-choice
- England can also call upon Man City's treble winners Jack Grealish and Phil Foden
Out of nowhere, England find themselves with arguably their best squad for a generation - and that strength in depth is no more evident than in the frontline.
Both out wide and through the middle, the Three Lions possess an embarrassment of riches. Such is the profundity of the talent pool, that it has become almost inevitable that manager Gareth Southgate will irk some corners of the internet with questionable call-ups.
Suffice it to say, we don't envy him. However, while we may not attract the wrath of an entire nation, we at 90min still feel it is our duty to rank the England squad by position for your reading pleasure (or displeasure).
Here are England’s options out wide ahead of Euro 2024, ranked.
7. Raheem Sterling
Raheem Sterling, the boy brought up in Wembley's shadow, went into the 2022 World Cup as a nailed-on starter for England. Yet, a burglary at his Surrey home forced him to fly back to see his family after the group stages. Sterling returned to Qatar but has not recovered his starting berth since.
After a turbulent debut season at Chelsea, Sterling's omission was understandable. It initially appeared that the former Liverpool starlet would regain his place in the England set-up following a promising start to 2023/24, but inconsistency has plagued his recent outings and it is hard to imagine him being picked over anyone else on this list, as shown by the March squad.
6. Anthony Gordon
The last time England Men's Under-21s won the European Championships, Mark Hateley was crowned the tournament's best player. Almost four decades later, Anthony Gordon was deemed to be the brightest of a blinding array of young stars as England lifted the junior continental trophy in 2023.
Six months after joining, Gordon has belatedly proven this season why Newcastle United forked out £45m for his services. Boasting blistering pace and an eye for goal, the former Everton forward was in the squad for the March internationals and does have a shot at making the squad.
5. Marcus Rashford
A hot-house flower of a player, Marcus Rashford desperately struggles when his surrounding conditions are not suitable. Manchester United's turmoil this season has weighed heavily on the 26-year-old but - by the same token - he appears unburdened on international duty.
England's top scorer at the Qatar World Cup - despite starting just one game - is all but guaranteed his place on the plane to Germany. Yet, whether he will be an option from the off remains to be seen.
4. Jack Grealish
Although he’s struggled to consistently demonstrate his class since joining Manchester City in 2021, there is no doubting the game-changing talent Jack Grealish possesses.
Having initially strived in vain to make an impression on Southgate, the attacker is now a regular in the squad when fit and is a very good option to have when matters are on a knife edge in the latter stages of matches.
Injuries have hindered Grealish so far this season, with Pep Guardiola supposedly disappointed by the winger's performances in 2023/24 and he won't get many minutes now before the summer.
3. Jarrod Bowen
The first English player to score in a European final since Liverpool's Daniel Sturridge in 2016 is a beacon of consistency in a West Ham United side that is equally capable of brilliance and blunders.
Comfortable across all three forward positions, Bowen endured more than a year away from the national team while West Ham's league form plummeted during the 2022/23 campaign. Yet, the Conference League winner has forced his way back into Gareth Southgate's plans this term.
2. Phil Foden
With Kevin De Bruyne missing the first half of the 2023/24 season due to a hamstring injury, Pep Guardiola required an alternate hero to emerge. Enter Phil Foden.
Foden's enjoying a career year in the build-up to the Euros, primarily operating between the lines from an attacking midfield position. Questions remain over his optimal role, especially in the England set-up, and as a winger, he doesn't quite top our ranking.
1. Bukayo Saka
A ridiculously consistent performer for Arsenal who shines with the same unflinching frequency on the international stage. In each of the last two seasons, Bukayo Saka has been named his country’s Player of the Year.
Saka is a dazzling winger who seems to have the world at his feet. A fixture of the side since breaking through at Euro 2020, Southgate is in awe of the fleet-footed forward's skill set. "He's a totally reliable player," the England boss gushed, "for a young player it's an exceptional quality."
He has excelled again in 2023/24 and will be a key player at Euro 2024.
READ MORE ON ENGLAND'S SQUAD OPTIONS AHEAD OF EURO 2024
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