Lee Carsley has named his England Under-21s squad for the European Championship, with Adam Wharton and Liam Delap not included.

England are reigning champions after lifting the title two years ago in Romania and Georgia, but their defence will have to come without two of their leading players.

The Athletic reported last month that Crystal Palace midfielder Wharton would miss out as he continues to recover from the concussion suffered in the club’s FA Cup final victory over Manchester City.

Delap, who signed for Chelsea this week in a £30million deal from Ipswich Town, is expected to play for his new club in the Club World Cup in the United States.

There are two holdovers from the 2023 team in the shape of defender Charlie Cresswell and forward Harvey Elliott, both of whom were regulars in the qualification campaign.

Arsenal 18-year-old Ethan Nwaneri is included after a breakthrough season, while there are also places for Jobe Bellingham, who Borussia Dortmund are confident of signing in the coming weeks, and Tino Livramento of Newcastle United, who was called up by Thomas Tuchel for the senior team back in March.

England begin their tournament against Czechia on Thursday, June 12 before they face Slovenia three days later on Sunday, June 15. They round out the group against Germany on Wednesday, June 18.

Head coach Carsley, who signed a new contract through to 2027 this week, selected a preliminary training squad to begin preparations at St. George’s Park last week, before confirming his final 23 on Friday. The group will now travel to Slovakia on Saturday.

England Under-21s squad

Goalkeepers: James Beadle (Brighton and Hove Albion), Teddy Sharman-Lowe (Chelsea), Tommy Simkin (Stoke City).

Defenders: Charlie Cresswell (FC Toulouse), Ronnie Edwards (Southampton), CJ Egan-Riley (Burnley), Tino Livramento (Newcastle United), Brooke Norton Cuffy (Genoa), Jarell Quansah (Liverpool).

Midfielders: Elliot Anderson (Nottingham Forest), Jobe Bellingham (Sunderland), Archie Gray (Tottenham Hotspur), Hayden Hackney (Middlesbrough), Jack Hinshelwood (Brighton and Hove Albion), Tyler Morton (Liverpool), Alex Scott (AFC Bournemouth).

Forwards: Harvey Elliott (Liverpool), Omari Hutchinson (Ipswich Town), Samuel Iling Jnr (Aston Villa), James McAtee (Manchester City), Ethan Nwaneri (Arsenal), Jonathan Rowe (Marseille), Jay Stansfield (Birmingham City).

* Tom Fellows (West Bromwich Albion) will travel as an additional training player, the Football Association say.

(Eddie Keogh – The FA/The FA via Getty Images)