SUNDERLAND duo Jordan Pickford and Duncan Watmore have received their maiden call-up to the England Under-21 squad for next month’s double header with USA’s Under-23 team and Norway.
Gareth Southgate’s side will begin to process of moving on from this summer’s disappointing European Championships with a friendly against the USA’s Olympic team at Preston on Thursday, September 3 before tackling a Euro U21 qualifier in Norway on September 7.
Pickford, who is currently on loan at Preston from the Stadium of Light, is one of three goalkeepers named in the squad along with Manchester City’s Angus Gunn and Christian Walton, who is on loan at Bury from Brighton.
Watmore, who scored his first senior goal in Sunderland’s 3-1 defeat to Norwich earlier this month, gets his maiden U21 call-up as a reward for his strong performances with the Under-20s at this summer’s Toulon Tournament.
Jack Stephens, who is on a season-long loan at Middlesbrough from Southampton, is also included in the squad.
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