Crystal Palace signing Eberechi Eze withdraws from England U21s squad with groin injury

Withdrwan: Eze played just one half of Palace's friendly win over Charlton at the weekend
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Jack Rosser @JackRosser_2 September 2020

Crystal Palace summer signing Eberechi Eze has withdrawn from the England U21s squad with a groin problem.

Palace manager Roy Hodgson revealed after Eze's first outing following his £19.5million move from Queens Park Rangers that he had picked up a slight groin niggle. The 22-year-old played the first half of the Eagles' friendly against Charlton last weekend before being withdrawn as a precaution.

Following the friendly he headed for St. George's Park to join up with Aidy Boothroyd's Young Lions for games against Kosovo and Austria. However, following assessment by the England medical staff, Eze has returned to Selhurst Park.

Chelsea's Reece James has also withdrawn from the squad, while his former teammate Tariq Lamptey, who joined Brighton last season, has been called up in their place.

Lamptey, 19, saw his path to the first team at Chelsea - for whom he made three senior appearances - blocked by James but has since excelled under Graham Potter on the south coast, ending last season as his first choice right-back and now earning his first call-up to the U21s.