Paul Merson names the England star who has no chance of going to Euro 2024

Raheem Sterling has struggled since signing for Chelsea in 2022 (Photo: Getty)

Paul Merson believes Raheem Sterling has little to no chance of being in the England squad for Euro 2024 this summer.

Gareth Southgate’s side are currently preparing for the upcoming friendlies against Brazil and Belgium where players will be looking to prove why they should be on the plane to Germany.

A host of new faces are in the squad including Kobbie Mainoo, Anthony Gordon and Jarrad Branthwaite, while there were some notable omissions like Ben White.

Sterling was also unselected, something that would have been unthinkable just two years ago when he was an integral player for the Three Lions.

The forward was named in the Euro 2020 Team of the Tournament after firing England to the final, but his stock has fallen dramatically since leaving Manchester City for Chelsea in 2022.

Though he has recorded eight goals and 10 assists in 36 games so far this season, performances haven’t been brilliant, with the 29-year-old enduring one of the worst games of his career in last weekend’s FA Cup win over Leicester.

Former Arsenal and England star Merson reckons it’s too late for Sterling to turn things around, writing in his Sky Sports column: ‘Euro 2024 has gone for Raheem Sterling now.

Sterling was one of the best players at Euro 2020 (Photo: Getty)

‘He’s having one of those times as a forward where everything goes wrong. The more you try, the worse it gets.

‘It’s confidence. The pressure is on at Chelsea and the fans are on his back.

‘He could have had a hat-trick the other day and we’d be here now saying how is he not in the squad? Instead, we’re thinking how’s he got that many caps? That’s how quickly football changes.

‘When Sterling’s hot, he’s unplayable and he turns up in big tournaments. I don’t know if Southgate has made his mind up on him but I don’t see him at the Euros. It’s hard to make a case for him after the weekend.’

To date, Sterling has 20 goals in 82 caps for England and has been in the Three Lions squad for every major tournament since the 2014 World Cup, but he has not made an appearance since 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

Southgate’s squad for this summer’s Euros is hardly set in stone, with a variety of forwards in contention and Merson adds that Sterling’s absence has made life slightly easier for the manager.

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He said: ‘Jarrod Bowen can play in three or four positions across the frontline. I like him, he’s a manager’s dream and gives you everything but he might just miss out of the Euros squad.

‘He’s unlucky but Southgate has so many options. He’d have been sweating if Sterling was ripping it up. There’s going to be some disappointed players this summer.’

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