BBC Sport pundit Noel Whelan has suggested that Everton striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin could soon find himself on Gareth Southgate’s England radar.
Southgate has seen his current Three Lions forward options fall by the wayside in recent weeks, with some of his most often utilised attackers sustaining serious injuries.
Tottenham Hotspur’s talisman Harry Kane is expected to be out for the remainder of the season with a hamstring injury, which could force the England captain to sit out this summer’s Euro 2020 tournament.
Marcus Rashford soon joined Kane in handing Southgate a potential selection headache, when the pacey Manchester United attacker sustained a groin injury against West Ham.
Calvert-Lewin, meanwhile, has been in amongst the goals most games, having scored five in his past six Premier League appearances to reach double figures for the first time in a single top-flight season.
This form has certainly not gone amiss with Whelan, who has been mightily impressed by the former England U21 international.
“Wow, Calvert-Lewin has been reborn under Duncan Ferguson and [Carlo] Ancelotti,” Whelan told Football Insider. “He is now banging in the goals.
“Can he get you 20 a season? The way he is going at the minute, it seems like next season he probably can. Strikers thrive on confidence, and he is getting it from both sides; the coaching staff and himself.
“It seems like he is loving life at the minute and is probably turning the head of Gareth Southgate, especially with the number of injuries to strikers for the national side.”
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Red Devils boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has calmed the initial fears over Rashford’s issue since news first broke of the blow, with the Norwegian confident that the 22-year-old could feature again before the March international break.
Kane, too, has been backed to make a comeback in time for this summer’s Euro 2020, which would do a great deal of damage to Calvert-Lewin’s chances of a call-up.
But Calvert-Lewin could be awarded his senior England debut during the March fixtures, which would offer Southgate the chance to cast his verdict over the £20,000-per-week striker in person before making a final decision.
Leicester City’s Jamie Vardy is currently the leading English scorer in the Premier League with 17 goals, though he effectively retired from international duty in 2018.
Southampton’s Danny Ings is second in the English ‘scorers list with 14, the same as Rashford and one more than Tammy Abraham, while Calvert-Lewin’s ten also trails Kane (11) and Manchester City’s Raheem Sterling (11).
In other Everton news, the club are reportedly chasing a top Premier League side for the signature of a £34m player.