England’s Euro 2025 squad announced with Lauren James and Michelle Agyemang selected

England boss Sarina Wiegman has named Lauren James, who has not played since April, in a 23-player squad for next month’s European Championship.

Chelsea forward James has not featured since injuring a hamstring while on international duty with England.

But the 23-year-old, who has scored seven goals in 27 appearances for England, has been a key player for Wiegman.

“It’s not a risk. We have some time. We still have a month. She is training really well and is at the point we hoped she would be at this stage,” said Wiegman.

“Hopefully when she comes into camp she can keep progressing to the first game in July. We don’t see it as a risk.

“I hope she will be available for the first game in the tournament. I don’t know for how many minutes yet. We will have to see.

“We have that friendly against Jamaica [on 29 June] and I hope she will make that too.”

Teenager Michelle Agyemang is an exciting addition, included as one of seven forwards in the squad, despite making only one appearance for the senior team.

The 19-year-old, who has been on loan at Brighton from Arsenal, impressed with a stunning goal 41 seconds into her debut after coming on as a late substitute in a 3-2 defeat by Belgium in April.

Asked if Agyemang can be a “wildcard” off the bench, Wiegman said: “Yeah I think so, I think so. We will see what she can bring.

“I have seen her in training sessions and what she did in Belgium – she can bring something different. I hope she can show that.”

England, who beat Germany 2-1 at Wembley to win Euro 2022, face world number 11 side France in their opening game in Switzerland on 5 July (20:00 BST) and also take on 10th-ranked Netherlands and Wales in a tough group.

The final will be held in Basel on 27 July.

Goalkeepers: Hannah Hampton (Chelsea), Khiara Keating (Manchester City), Anna Moorhouse (Orlando Pride).

Defenders: Lucy Bronze (Chelsea), Leah Williamson (Arsenal), Jess Carter (Gotham FC), Alex Greenwood (Manchester City), Lotte Wubben-Moy (Arsenal), Esme Morgan (Washington Spirit), Niamh Charles (Chelsea), Maya Le Tissier (Manchester United.

Midfielders: Ella Toone (Manchester United), Georgia Stanway (Bayern Munich), Keira Walsh (Chelsea), Grace Clinton (Manchester United), Jess Park (Manchester City).

Forwards: Lauren Hemp (Manchester City), Lauren James (Chelsea), Chloe Kelly (Arsenal, on loan from Manchester City), Beth Mead (Arsenal), Michelle Agyemang (Brighton, on loan from Arsenal), Alessia Russo (Arsenal), Aggie Beever-Jones (Chelsea).

Bayern Munich midfielder Georgia Stanway, who has played 60 minutes in the past week after returning from a serious knee injury, makes the squad.

So do Manchester City duo Alex Greenwood and Lauren Hemp, who had knee operations this season but returned at the end of the Women’s Super League campaign to ensure their places in the squad were secure.

It has been a chaotic fortnight for England with goalkeeper Mary Earps and midfielder Fran Kirby announcing their international retirements, while 2023 World Cup captain Millie Bright withdrew from selection on Wednesday to focus on her physical and mental wellbeing.

Nine players from the Euro 2022 squad are not included this time around, with five having retired.

Four players are on a standby list: Brighton goalkeeper Sophie Baggaley, Manchester City midfielder Laura Blindkilde Brown, Aston Villa midfielder Missy Bo Kearns and Villa defender Lucy Parker.

They will stay with the squad at St George’s Park from Monday, 16 June to Monday, 30 June, when the rest of the squad travel to Switzerland.

The three US-based players – goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse and defenders Jess Carter and Esme Morgan – will not arrive at St George’s Park until 23 June as they continue their domestic seasons.

James is undoubtedly one of the world’s most talented footballers and that was on show in her first major tournament at the 2023 World Cup.

It was less than a year after making her debut and she put in two player-of-the-match displays against Denmark and China in the group stages, scoring three goals and providing three assists.

She was then needlessly sent off for standing on Michelle Alozie’s back in the last-16 match with Nigeria, receiving a two-match ban. She returned for the final in Sydney, when England were beaten 1-0 by Spain.

Her creativity, exquisite dribbling ability and brilliant long-range shooting technique makes her one of the hardest players to defend against.

Wiegman often uses James as a winger, interchanging with Manchester City’s Hemp on the opposite side, but she can also play as a number 10.

Her inclusion in the squad gives Wiegman more attacking depth, as well as a potential wildcard off the bench in the early stages of the competition.

Earps – who started every game for England at Euro 2022 and the 2023 World Cup – announced her shock international retirement last week.

She had fallen down the pecking order with Chelsea’s Hannah Hampton looking increasingly likely to secure the number one spot for this summer’s championship.

Brighton’s Kirby followed suit, stepping down from England duty an hour after England’s 2-1 defeat by Spain on Tuesday.

She said she was told by manager Wiegman that she would not be selected for the Euro 2025 squad and therefore brought her international retirement plans forward.

There was a further blow on Wednesday morning when Chelsea defender Bright withdrew from selection to look after her mental health.

Last month Manchester United defender Millie Turner fractured her foot, ruling her out of contention, albeit she had an outside chance of selection.

Brighton forward Nikita Parris also misses out, while Kearns, who made her debut as a substitute on Tuesday, makes the standby list.

Wiegman included young forward Katie Robinson in the 2023 World Cup squad and she has taken another punt on a teenager with Agyemang.

She has shown glimpses of her talent while at Brighton on loan from Arsenal this season, but only made April’s squad after Alessia Russo withdrew with an injury.

Two days later she came on as an 80th-minute substitute and 41 seconds later she had announced herself on the world stage with an incredible volley.

She did not feature in the recent Women’s Nations League matches – a 6-0 win over Portugal and a 2-1 defeat by Spain – and will have to compete hard for game time at Euro 2025.

Elsewhere, Bright’s withdrawal means there was scope to include an extra defender and Arsenal’s Lotte Wubben-Moy has made the cut.

She, alongside Manchester United captain Maya Le Tissier, have faced stiff competition to get into the starting XI but have proven to be valuable members of Wiegman’s squad in recent years.

Behind number one Hampton are two uncapped goalkeepers in Khiara Keating and Anna Moorhouse.