Lauren James returns to Lionesses squad as Euro 2025 preparation continues
Lauren James and Lotte Wubben-Moy are back in the England squad for upcoming friendlies against Germany and South Africa after they missed the summer’s Euro 2025 qualifiers due to injury.
In addition to that duo, uncapped Aston Villa defender Lucy Parker has also been recalled to the squad for the first time in a year and she will hope to finally make her Lionesses debut.
There is no place in Sarina Wiegman’s 25-player squad for Millie Turner or Khiara Keating, while the sidelined Niamh Charles also drops out.
England begin their build-up to next summer’s tournament in Switzerland by playing Germany at Wembley next Friday and South Africa in Coventry four days later.
Wiegman said: “This is an important international window for us and I can’t wait to get back together at St George’s Park.
“The players and staff worked hard to automatically secure our place in next summer’s Euros, allowing all of our focus and attention to now go into making sure we’re ready for the tournament when it begins on July 2.
“Qualifying directly for the finals provides us with a very valuable opportunity to play four friendlies this autumn and lay the foundations for next summer. We’ve been able to carefully select our opponents and we’ve got two exciting and different challenges this window.
“To play Germany at Wembley Stadium is very special and it’s so important that we get experience of executing our style of play against top opponents.
“Then South Africa in Coventry, a city and a stadium we know well, will test us in different ways. They showed in the World Cup in 2023 how quickly they are progressing and the high level they are at now. We’ll need to be at our very best on both evenings.
“The fans are always so brilliant whenever we play and tickets are still available for both games, so we’d love as much support as possible and another two memorable atmospheres.”
Following these two matches, England will finish the year with friendlies against the United States, now managed by ex-Chelsea boss Emma Hayes, at Wembley on 30 November and Switzerland in Sheffield on 3 December.
England squad for friendlies against Germany and South Africa:
Goalkeepers: Mary Earps (PSG), Hannah Hampton (Chelsea), Anna Moorhouse (Orlando Pride)
Defenders: Millie Bright (Chelsea), Lucy Bronze (Chelsea), Jess Carter (Gotham FC), Alex Greenwood (Manchester City), Maya Le Tissier (Manchester United), Esme Morgan (Washington Spirit), Lucy Parker (Aston Villa), Leah Williamson (Arsenal), Lotte Wubben-Moy (Arsenal)
Midfielders: Grace Clinton (Manchester United), Fran Kirby (Brighton & Hove Albion), Jess Park (Manchester City), Georgia Stanway (Bayern Munich), Ella Toone (Manchester United), Keira Walsh (Barcelona)
Forwards: Aggie Beever-Jones (Chelsea), Lauren Hemp (Manchester City), Lauren James (Chelsea), Chloe Kelly (Manchester City), Beth Mead (Arsenal), Jessica Naz (Tottenham Hotspur), Alessia Russo (Arsenal)
Additional reporting by PA
