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Kirby has barely played in the Women’s Super League this season but sealed a deadline move from Manchester City to Arsenal after an unhappy spell out of the team under previous manager Gareth Taylor. The 27-year-old has yet to make her first appearance for Arsenal because their first two fixtures were against City and she was ineligible to face her parent club.
Wiegman revealed that she had a “good conversation” with Kelly and said the scorer of England’s winning goal in the Euros final understood her decision to leave her out due to lack of game time. Kelly said in a statement after asking to leave City that she “wanted to be happy again” and Wiegman wants to see the winger return to action and show her level before this summer’s Euros.
“She hasn’t played enough, in my opinion,” Wiegman said when asked about the decision to drop Kelly. “She’s moved clubs now, but last autumn she hardly played. She got some credit but over that time, she played so few minutes. That’s first now: get started at Arsenal, get some minutes in, start playing and showing what you’re about and then we can revisit that again.
“We had a good conversation yesterday and she understands. She’s not out for the Euros. What we all hope is that she shows good performances [at Arsenal] and that she gets minutes in and gets her level back. I’m glad she had a move, which she mentioned that was really good for her and hopefully she can, as she said, get a smile on her face again and play football and show the player she is.”
Kelly was replaced in the squad for Euros winner Nikita Parris, who had a stunning return after a two-year absence. Elsewhere, there are returns for forward Lauren James, midfielder Ella Toone and defender Niamh Charles following injuries. Chelsea’s James has not featured for England since April last year, while club team-mate Charles last appeared for the Lionesses since last July.
Forward Lauren Hemp remains unavailable but is nearing a return for Manchester City after a knee injury. Midfielder Georgia Stanway and defender Alex Greenwood are longer-term absentees after undergoing knee surgeries, with Stanway sidelined for “several months” and facing a race to be fit for the Euros in July.
Wiegman said she is “hopeful” that Stanway can be fit for England’s opening game against France on 5 July. “Georgia has a plan and she’s very committed and very motivated to be back,” Wiegman said. “She’s in a good place now. It’s first about her health and then coming back, but she knows where she wants to go and where she wants to be at a certain moment. Let’s hope that goes that way.”
Another Euros winner, Fran Kirby, is also out with an injury so Laura Blindkilde Brown and Ruby Mace, both 21, retain their places after making their England debuts in December. Tottenham’s Jess Naz and Chelsea’s Aggie Beever-Jones also keep their spots ahead of the dropped Kelly in the forward line.
The Lionesses kick off their Euro 2025 preparations later this month as the next season of the Women’s Nations League begins. Wiegman’s side have landed another tricky group and travel to the Algarve to face Portugal in the opening game of their campaign on Friday 21 February, before playing world champions Spain in a blockbuster clash at Wembley on Wednesday 26 February. It will be the first meeting of the teams since the World Cup final in Sydney.
A double-header against Belgium will follow in early April before England welcome Portugal on 30 May and take on Spain away from home on 3 June, in their final fixture of Nations League Group A3. That will give the Lionesses a few weeks to prepare for their opening match of the Euros against France in Zurich on Saturday 5 July.
England squad to face Portugal and Spain
Goalkeepers: Mary Earps, Hannah Hampton, Anna Moorhourse
Defenders: Millie Bright, Lucy Bronze, Jess Carter, Niamh Charles, Maya Le Tissier, Esme Morgan, Millie Turner, Leah Williamson, Lotte Wubben-Moy
Midfielders: Laura Blindkilde Brown, Grace Clinton, Ruby Mace, Jess Park, Ella Toone, Keira Walsh
Forwards: Aggie Beever-Jones, Lauren James, Beth Mead, Jess Naz, Nikita Parris, Alessia Russo
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