Gareth Southgate has submitted his provisional 55-man England World Cup squad to FIFA (Picture: Getty)
Gareth Southgate has included Chelsea star Ruben Loftus-Cheek in his 55-man provisional World Cup squad.
The 26-year-old was a key component of the side which reached the semi-finals in Russia four years ago but he hasn’t been capped since November 2018.
Injuries have played a part in stunting Loftus-Cheeks’ progress at Chelsea and he spent the 2020/21 season on loan at Fulham but failed to make an impact.
The versatile midfielder has enjoyed something of a renaissance in recent months, however, and has started 10 of Chelsea’s 12 Premier League fixtures so far this season under both Thomas Tuchel and Graham Potter.
Loftus-Cheek spoke about competing at another World Cup last week, saying: ‘It would be amazing. It would mean a lot.
‘Going into the 2018 World Cup you see your trajectory go upwards and to be at the next World Cup if everything goes well. A lot has happened in that time and I am just happy and grateful that I am fit and healthy and playing football now consistently.
‘If I go to the World Cup it would mean the world — but that is not at the forefront of my mind now. It would be selfish to think about my personal aspirations rather than the club at the moment.’
Loftus-Cheek has been named, according to The Athletic, alongside Brighton duo Danny Welbeck and Lewis Dunk, as well as Newcastle’s in-form centre forward Callum Wilson.
Ruben Loftus-Cheek was a key part of England’s squad which reached the World Cup semi finals four years ago (Picture: Getty)
Welbeck, life Loftus-Cheek, hasn’t played for England since their exploits in Russia while centre-back Dunk’s only appearance for his country came in a friendly against USA four years ago.
FIFA has asked all 32 nations to submit provisional ‘release lists’ featuring a maximum of 55 players but extended squads must be trimmed to 26 players before the tournament.
Finalised squads have to be submitted to FIFA by November 14, but England are expected to name theirs on November 10.
Lewis Dunk and Danny Welbeck have both been included in England’s provisional World Cup squad (Picture: Getty)
The tournament starts on November 20 and England face Iran in their opening group game a day later.
Southgate, meanwhile, believes workers in Qatar are “united” in their desire for the World Cup to go ahead.
Qatar has been strongly criticised for its human rights record and the conditions in which thousands of migrant workers have been subjected to as they build the infrastructure needed for the tournament, which kicks off on November 20.
Qatar has also been criticised for its anti-LGBTQ laws.
‘I’ve been out to Qatar several times and I’ve met with lots of the workers out there and they are united in certainly one thing, that’s that they want the tournament to happen, and they want that because they love football,’ he said.
‘They want the football to come to Qatar.’
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Gareth Southgate will name his final 26-man squad on November 10.
