Sarina Wiegman keeps Chloe Kelly in England squad despite City inactivity

Sarina Wiegman says there was never any doubt she would include Chloe Kelly in her England squad, regardless of the Manchester City winger getting reduced playing time this season.

The 26-year-old, who scored the winning goal in the European Championship final just over two years ago, has played fewer than 90 minutes of Women’s Super League football this term, starting one of City’s four fixtures, and was an unused substitute in their past two victories, over Barcelona and Liverpool.

Reports have emerged that Kelly could leave City, citing her reduced playing time, and Wiegman was asked about Kelly’s situation on Tuesday. “She’s in a hard position,” England’s head coach said. “I think City is in a very good position, which shows they have stepped up their quality.

You saw that last week, obviously at the start of the season and also against Barcelona the other day. So there’s a huge competition going on there – it’s the very highest level.

“She is not getting the minutes she hopes to do, but she had built credit with us. She wasn’t in doubt for us to bring her in.”

Kelly is part of a 25-player Lionesses squad that has also included a call-up for the in-form Brighton forward Fran Kirby and a recall for the Aston Villa defender Lucy Parker, who replaces the Manchester United centre-back Millie Turner. The Chelsea left-back Niamh Chelsea has missed out as expected after dislocating a shoulder during pre-season.

Wiegman has named three goalkeepers – Mary Earps, Hannah Hampton and Orlando Pride’s Anna Moorhouse – and said there was “huge competition” for the No 1 jersey. Neither City’s Khiara Keating nor Barcelona’s Ellie Roebuck has been included.

Wiegman said she hoped the “talented” Keating would get “fitter and sharper” and said of Roebuck: “I’m just really happy now that she’s on the pitch again.

She was with the squad last Wednesday [when Barcelona faced Manchester City].

Of course she had a hard time coming back, she worked really hard, but at the moment she is far away. We need to see her play again.”

The Lionesses host Germany at Wembley on 25 October, before a home friendly against South Africa on 29 October in Coventry, in the first two of four friendlies before Christmas.

Wiegman’s team are stepping up their preparations for next summer’s European Championship in Switzerland, where they will seek to defend the title they won for the first time in 2022 on home soil.