Jamie Vardy has been one of the standout attacking players in the Premier League this season, leading the goalscoring charts with 19 goals from 26 appearances.
With Harry Kane and Marcus Rashford both currently injured, Vardy had been touted as a potential replacement in Gareth Southgate's England squad for Euro 2020.
However, with the Euros now postponed until 2021, Kane and Rashford are likely to return.
Vardy has scored four more Premier League goals than any other English player this season, but there now appears little prospect of him making the squad for Euro 2021.
Vardy stepped aside from the England team in August 2018, after featuring as a bit-part player during the Three Lions’ run to the 2018 World Cup semi-finals.
He told Southgate he no longer wanted to be considered for selection unless he was really needed.
"To be honest with you, this has been on my mind for a while,” he told the Guardian at the time.
“I’m not getting any younger and you can see, to be fair to the gaffer, he wants to make it more youthful, which obviously had its benefits during the World Cup – we got to the semi-finals and finished fourth, which is equal to the furthest we have ever been on foreign soil.
“So, I just said to Gareth that I think it’s probably best from now on, especially with the way he wants to go, to bring youngsters in who he thinks have got the ability and start nurturing them into international football.”
While Vardy said he no longer wanted to be considered for selection, he did suggest he could return to the squad if he was needed due to an injury crisis.
The long-term injuries to Kane and Rashford would have fit the bill, but these are no longer likely to be relevant - and both players had said they were aiming to make the squad anyway.
Asked recently by Sky Sports if he could return for the Euros, Vardy said: "Who knows? Gareth and I were both agreed that the door would still be open for whatever reason and then we would sit down and have a talk about it [if needed].
"We've not had the chat or anything yet and nothing has been spoken about.
“The lads (Kane and Rashford) are out injured, but they're looking to be back in time. So only time will tell.”
Aside from Kane, Rashford and Vardy, England have a number of options to lead the line - and all are set to be given more time to impress once club football resumes.
Early in the season, Tammy Abraham would have been the favourite to do so.
Abraham scored 10 goals in his first 12 Premier League appearances for Chelsea, but has added only three more to his tally in the subsequent 13 games.
If England are looking for a tall striker in the mould of Kane, Everton’s Dominic Calvert-Lewin is the man in form.
The 22-year-old has looked a player transformed under Carlo Ancelotti, with eight goals in his last 11 Premier League appearances.
If more club football is played before the Euros due to the postponement, Calvert-Lewin's relative youth could be a point in his favour as he continues to develop under Ancelotti.
However, he is lagging behind the seasonal goal tally of Southampton’s Danny Ings, who has 15 goals in 29 league games.
Ings is enjoying his most prolific campaign since 2014-15, but his only senior international cap was in 2015.
Callum Wilson of Bournemouth has featured on four occasions since his debut in 2018, and has recently rediscovered his goalscoring touch after a run of 15 league games without scoring.
The delay could also play into the hands of Mason Greenwood.
With five goals apiece in the Premier League and Europa League, Greenwood has generally impressed when given opportunities to play and will be hoping such chances keep coming under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
Booadno
2
he can play any wear he feels like he is amazing player when it comes on to soccer vardy is a legend
Nebh1234
0
No! in that time kane and rashford will be back and plus greenwood or calvert-lewin or abraham may be there also! so no chance for him! and also at that time his age will be negative factor for him!
Naa you can’t live without VARDY
Nebh1234
0
🏴he has the chance of playing because if Var is in Euros he has magic VARdy
Wavy530
0
Kane will be injured again by next years Euros... This is England best line regardless of injuries anyway
AmoghKolsur
0
oh yeah, little sluggish turtle pace. I did see him 😬
Yeah also golden boot winner of the 2018 WC
AhnJung
0
Have you heard of the HurriKANE
oh yeah, little sluggish turtle pace. I did see him 😬
AmoghKolsur
0
I don't see any English striker as deadly as vardy and Abraham
Have you heard of the HurriKANE
AmoghKolsur
0
england lineup
[image]
Stones has been awful lately so not him. Also theres no way Kane is getting dropped
Yokaikls
3
england lineup
AhnJung
3
I don't see any English striker as deadly as vardy and Abraham
Zahrahali
1
Sub: trippier, mount, greenwood Ik it’s not the best lineup but obvs most of the good players are injured 🤕
hepclm
0
Off courseeeeeeeeeeee yes it’s vardy
hepclm
0
No! in that time kane and rashford will be back and plus greenwood or calvert-lewin or abraham may be there also! so no chance for him! and also at that time his age will be negative factor for him!
Naaa he can play at 36 for England it’s Vardy my friend don’t compare him to others 😡
patelvishal10
2
No! in that time kane and rashford will be back and plus greenwood or calvert-lewin or abraham may be there also! so no chance for him! and also at that time his age will be negative factor for him!