England had been scheduled to play Norway in Sheffield on December 1 but the match was cancelled due to coronavirus travel restrictions; Phil Neville's squad will now play two in-house training matches
Tuesday 17 November 2020 12:46, UK
Manchester United forward Lauren James has been included in an England squad for the first time, having been included by Phil Neville for the upcoming camp.
Manchester City midfielder Laura Coombs, whose last Lionesses appearance came in 2015, has been recalled to the 29-player squad, while uncapped duo Lotte Wubben-Moy and Rinsola Babajide, of Arsenal and Liverpool respectively, were included once more after impressing during September's training camp.
England will not play a competitive match during the 10-day camp, with their planned fixture against Norway having been called off due to coronavirus travel restrictions.
Neville said: "This has been a challenging time for everyone, but it will be good to finish the year with an intensive training camp during which the squad will develop further and in which every player has the chance to prove themselves ahead of our upcoming major tournaments.
"I'm delighted to give Lauren James her first senior call-up. She is an exciting young player that we want to help develop further. She joins the squad alongside many other young players who we've introduced over the last few months.
"Laura Coombs is a player I have watched a lot this season and I have been very impressed with her progression in the game. She has performed consistently at a high level which merits her call-up to the squad.
"This camp will give us another excellent opportunity to integrate young promising players with our experienced internationals and align everyone on the team's long-term vision."
James, who only turned 19 in September, earns her call up after impressing for United in the Women's Super League, as Neville once more selects a youthful group of players.
With their match against Norway cancelled, England's players will contest two intra-squad matches, played behind closed doors.
Although Neville will be replaced by Sarina Wiegman as head coach, he is working towards preparing the players for the 2022 European Championships.
"Although sadly we no longer have a competitive fixture, every minute spent on the training pitch and in planning is crucial and plays an important part in preparing for the UEFA Women's EURO.
"I want to thank our supporters for their understanding and let them know that we cannot wait to play in front of crowds again in a competitive fixture when the time is right."
Goalkeepers: Carly Telford, Ellie Roebuck, Sandy MacIver, Hannah Hampton
Defenders: Steph Houghton, Lotte Wubben-Moy, Grace Fisk, Millie Turner, Lucy Bronze, Alex Greenwood, Demi Stokes, Esme Morgan,
Midfielders: Niamh Charles, Leah Williamson, Jill Scott, Laura Coombs, Ella Toone, Keira Walsh, Lucy Staniforth, Jordan Nobbs,
Forwards: Georgia Stanway, Lauren James, Beth Mead, Rachel Daly, Chloe Kelly, Rinsola Babajide, Nikita Parris, Bethany England, Ellen White
