Rehanne Skinner has announced her England WU21 squad to play France in back-to-back March friendlies.
The squad will meet up on Tuesday 3 March, with games scheduled for Thursday 5 and Sunday 8 before the players return to their clubs the following day.
Head coach Skinner has selected Tottenham Hotspur striker Rianna Dean, who's been in red-hot form with six goals from her first 14 appearances in the Barclays FAWSL this season.
Liverpool duo Amy Rodgers and Niamh Charles are also named alongside four of their top-flight Merseyside rivals in Everton's Megan Finnigan, Esme Morgan, Hannah Cain and Taylor Hinds.
Grace Fisk, Hannah Hampton and Alessia Russo were not available for this double-header, having been called up for the seniors’ trip to the SheBelieves Cup in the United States after impressing Phil Neville at club level and for the U21s.
“This is a great opportunity for the players to test themselves against strong opposition and to show they have the ability to compete against one of the top nations in Europe at St. George’s Park," said Skinner.
“We want to develop the players’ ability to handle high-pressure matches and thrive. The purpose of this age group is to continue to expose players to experiences that will help them transition and bridge the gap for the next step.
“Recently we’ve seen multiple under-21 players receive a senior call up by Phil Neville which is a fantastic opportunity for those players and also shows the other U21 players the strong link to our Senior Lionesses and something for them to aspire to.”
The squad
Goalkeepers: Emily Ramsey (Sheffield United, on loan from Manchester United), Charlotte Clarke (Stoke City)
Defenders: Megan Finnigan (Everton), Niamh Cashin (Rider University), Lotte Wubben Moy (University of North Carolina), Esme Morgan (Everton, on loan from Manchester City), Anna Patten (University of South Carolina), Poppy Patinson (Bristol City), Mayumi Pacheco (Reading), Taylor Hinds (Everton)
Midfielders: Connie Scofield (Birmingham), Amy Rodgers (Liverpool), Aimee Palmer (Manchester United), Ella Toone (Manchester United), Chloe Peplow (Tottenham Hotspur), Emily Syme (Aston Villa), Amelia Hazard (London Bees)
Forwards: Rianna Dean (Tottenham Hotspur), Niamh Charles (Liverpool), Hannah Cain (Everton), Angela Addison (Tottenham Hotspur)
