Marcus Rashford will be given the chance to “knock someone off their perch” after Roy Hodgson included the uncapped 18-year-old in an expanded 26-man squad for Euro 2016, yesterday.
Rashford, who has never even played for the U-21s, was the most eye-catching name announced by Hodgson at Wembley yesterday, having only made his Manchester United debut in February.
But seven goals in 16 appearances and an energetic, fearless approach have made him the chief beneficiary of Danny Welbeck’s injury woe.
There is some irony in the fact that his inclusion comes ahead of Theo Walcott, who was handed a shock call-up at 17 for the 2006 World Cup having yet to feature for the Arsenal first team.
Andros Townsend was also preferred after his renaissance at Newcastle, while Jack Wilshere and Jordan Henderson were present after returning to fitness just in time.
With Wayne Rooney, Harry Kane, Daniel Sturridge and Jamie Vardy all ahead of him in the pecking order, Rashford is the likeliest forward to miss the cut but Hodgson insists that is not written in stone.
Rashford may get just one opportunity – against Australia on May 27 – with the FA Cup final ruling him out of the Turkey friendly and Hodgson keen to go into the Wembley send-off against Portugal with his final 23, but he has already shown an aptitude for making a big impression in a small time-frame.
“He’s one of the contenders, of course. There’s no reason, if he does exceptionally well, why he can’t knock someone off their perch,” said Hodgson.
“Marcus taking on that important role of centre-forward at Manchester United at quite a difficult period of time in the year hasn’t gone unnoticed from our side.
“We’re very keen to see what he can do.
“In the week that we work with him and possibly a game or part of a game that he plays, we might start thinking ‘we really need this fella, he is actually better than some of the others we were contemplating ahead of him certainly a few months ago’.
“Some people come from nowhere a bit quicker than others and his has been more akin to a Wayne Rooney or Raheem Sterling rise.”
Provisional squad
Goalkeepers: Joe Hart (Man. City), Fraser Forster (Southampton), Tom Heaton (Burnley).
Defenders: Gary Cahill (Chelsea), Chris Smalling (Man. United), John Stones (Everton), Kyle Walker (Tottenham), Ryan Bertrand (Southampton), Danny Rose (Tottenham), Nathaniel Clyne (Liverpool).
Midfielders: Dele Alli (Tottenham), Ross Barkley (Everton), Fabian Delph (Manchester City), Eric Dier (Tottenham), Danny Drinkwater (Leicester City ), Jordan Henderson (Liverpool), Adam Lallana (Liverpool), James Milner (Liverpool), Raheem Sterling (Manchester City), Andros Townsend (Newcastle United), Jack Wilshere (Arsenal).
Forwards: Wayne Rooney (Man. United), Harry Kane (Tottenham), Jamie Vardy (Leicester), Daniel Sturridge (Liverpool), Marcus Rashford (Man. United).