Man City talent Ed Francis heading to 2018 UEFA U-19s Euros as Phil Foden is left out – City Watch

City Watch

Manchester City will have one representative in the England side that plays in the 2018 UEFA European U-19 Championship in Finland, with defender Edward Francis named in Paul Simpson’s 20-man squad.

The competition begins on Tuesday when England face Turkey in the first of three group games, and fresh off a loan move to Almere City, Francis is included.

Curious by his absence is wonderkid Phil Foden, suggesting that he is being bumped up to either under-20 or under-21 level by England. Foden won the 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup last year with England, and the usual course is to progress through each age group, but he may bypass the under-18 stage after just one appearance for England at that level.

18-year-old Francis however, will take part, having just moved to the Dutch second division with Almere on loan, where he will gain his first experience in the senior game this coming season.

The England U-19 squad is as follows:

Goalkeepers: Ellery Balcombe (Brentford), Jamie Cumming (Chelsea)

Defenders: Trevoh Chalobah (Ipswich Town, on loan from Chelsea), Nathan Ferguson (West Bromwich Albion), Ed Francis (Almere City, on loan from Manchester City), Tariq Lamptey (Chelsea), Dujon Sterling (Coventry City, on loan from Chelsea), Japhet Tanganga (Tottenham Hotspur)

Midfielders: Tom Bayliss (Coventry City), Elliot Embleton (Sunderland), Conor Gallagher (Chelsea), Nya Kirby (Crystal Palace), Adam Lewis (Liverpool), Max Sanders (Brighton & Hove Albion), Marcus Tavernier (Middlesbrough), Kelland Watts (Newcastle United)

Forwards: Ben Brereton (Nottingham Forest), Niall Ennis (Wolverhampton Wanderers), George Hirst (OH Leuven), Ben Morris (Ipswich Town)