Carlo Ancelotti publicly backed Dominic Calvert-Lewin to become a fully fledged England international last month, with the Italian coach claiming the striker “has the quality and possibility to be a great striker for England”.
This is a claim that hasn’t been taken serious by many fans, with some deciding that Calvert-Lewin isn’t worthy of the England shirt.
Darren Bent has also backed Calvert-Lewin as an option for the Three Lions this summer, with Harry Kane, Marcus Rashford and Tammy Abraham all currently sidelined with injuries of varying severity.
Talking to talkSPORT, Bent slammed those who are brushing Calvert-Lewin off as “disrespectful”, claiming that the 22-year is “fundamentally so good”.
Bent went on to credit how Calvert-Lewin “holds the ball up really well”, claiming that he is “good in the air”, while also praising his pace, strength and his ability to score goals.
While Calvert-Lewin perhaps isn’t as flash as Rashford, or nearly as clinical as Kane, the Everton forward has been making a quiet case for his inclusion in Gareth Southgate’s squad for the European Championships through his form for the Toffees in recent months.
Since Marco Silva was sacked at the beginning of December, the 22-year old striker has scored seven goals in 10 Premier League games, while he had only managed to score three in 13 in the early stages of the season (Transfermarkt).
Under both Duncan Ferguson and Carlo Ancelotti, the former Sheffield United man has shown real maturity and poise in leading the line for Everton, and his goal return has reflected how he has developed as a forward.
Football Insider reported earlier this week that Everton had grown confident that they could soon tie Calvert-Lewin down to a new long-term contract, and it isn’t hard to see why the club would be so desperate to do so.
Being so young, genuinely humble and hungry to improve, Calvert-Lewin is exactly the right kind of player that Everton need plenty more of in and around Finch Farm and Goodison Park.
Make no mistake though, I’m not declaring Calvert-Lewin’s chances to make the England squad for the Euros to be wide open.
If every England forward was fit, and Southgate’s options were all available to him, then Calvert-Lewin could find his spot in England’s squad in real doubt.
Kane and Rashford, if fit, are likely to be on the plane, and while Callum Wilson’s form this season might not put him in prime position, Calvert-Lewin would still face competition from Tammy Abraham and Danny Ings for a place in the squad.
Ultimately Calvert-Lewin may not be ready to play a major role for England at an international tournament just yet, and if I had to predict the England squad, I don’t think the Everton man would make it into Southgate’s 23.
However, Calvert-Lewin has certainly earned the right to prove himself, and I have no doubt that he will get a chance to prove himself at international level in the future.
