England boss has been long-term admirer of Crystal Palace star Ebere Eze

Gareth Southgate says he has been a long-term admirer of Ebere Eze after naming the Crystal Palace attacker in his latest England squad.

The 24-year-old, from Greenwich, is in line to feature in Euro 2024 qualifiers against Malta and North Macedonia next month.

Eze was set to be in England’s provisional squad for the last European Championships but ruptured his Achilles.

Southgate said: “We’ve liked him for a long time. He was very unfortunate just before the Euros, we were going to call him into a prep camp to have a look at him, but he got a bad injury.

“I remember talking to Roy Hodgson about him then, and Roy telling me he had picked up an injury that day. He has finished the season really strongly and can play in a couple of positions across that attacking line.

“He’s a goal threat and got nice ability and a burst of speed to go past people – to take people out of the game with his dribbling skills.

“Everybody I speak to talks brilliantly about him as a person as well.”

PICTURE: KEITH GILLARD