England: Lee Carsley hints at 'important' role for Noni Madueke in upcoming games

Lee Carsley believes Noni Madueke will prove an “important” player for England this month.

The interim manager on Thursday named the Chelsea winger in his first squad, the first time Madueke had been selected for the senior side after impressing for the Under-21s.

Madueke played regularly for Carsley at youth level and the 22-year-old was a key member of the squad which won the European Championships in Georgia and Romania last summer.

Madueke, who scored a first career hat-trick last weekend for Chelsea, will hope to receive his senior England debut in Nations League fixtures against Republic of Ireland and Finland in September.

“Noni has done really well for the [England] Under-21s”, Carsley said. “Noni has really improved his all-round game: his goals and assists.

“With the way that he has started the season in terms of his energy and his pace and directness, I think he’s a player that will be really important for us this camp. He’s a player I know. I’ve worked with him in the past. Hopefully I can get the best out of him.

“He’ll definitely help the squad. I think he’ll bring an energy to the squad, bearing in mind that we’re coming off the back of losing a final. The squad may need that little injection of enthusiasm and energy, and the new players that come in will definitely bring that. These players have earned the right to start.”

Carsley also handed first senior call-ups to Morgan Gibbs-White, Tino Livramento and Angel Gomes.

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