Eze out of England
Arsenal midfielder Eberechi Eze has withdrawn from England’s March friendlies with a calf injury, removing a key creative option from Gareth Southgate’s midweek plans. The March window still features heavyweight tune‑ups — Brazil vs France and England vs Uruguay are among the marquee fixtures this cycle as teams finalise World Cup prep ( ).
Thomas Tuchel named an expanded 35‑man England squad for home friendlies at Wembley on March 27 (vs Uruguay) and March 31 (vs Japan). (englandfootball.com) Tuchel said the enlarged group will report in two stages across the March window as part of a pre‑World Cup build‑up and to give fringe players extended evaluation time. (englandfootball.com) Newcastle winger Harvey Barnes has been added to the party as a late call‑up, with multiple outlets reporting his inclusion to cover the reshuffled attacking positions. (telegraph.co.uk) Barnes’ last senior England appearance came in October 2020 (one cap, substitute versus Wales), a recall that reunites him with the national setup after a near six‑year absence. (englandstats.com) On club form this season Barnes has registered five Premier League goals in 29 appearances (including 13 as a substitute) for Newcastle, per official league statistics. (premierleague.com) Both Uruguay and Japan travel to Wembley as fellow 2026 World Cup qualifiers, making the March friendlies a targeted rehearsal against tournament‑bound opposition. (englandfootball.com)
