Lanre Awesu, Chinaza Nwosu and Andre Dike have been included in England MU17s squad for three 2025 UEFA European U17 Championship Round 1 Group 1 qualifiers.
The West Ham trio are part of a group of 21 that will face Malta, Latvia and Sweden in Malta in the final week of October.
England reached the quarter-finals of the 2024 edition of the tournament in May this year, falling to defeat in a penalty shootout against Italy. Neil Ryan’s side will be trying to better that achievement by qualifying for the 2025 tournament, which will be held in Albania next summer.
They play three group stage games, all at the Centenary Stadium in Ta'Qali, Malta, starting against the host nation on Thursday morning at 11am locat time (10am BST).
Next up is a clash with Latvia at the same venue on Sunday 27 October at 11am (10am BST), before they take on Sweden there on Wednesday 30 October at 2.30pm (1.30pm BST) in their final group match.
Our young Hammers have all adapted well to life as full-time footballers after signing scholarships, with all three of our first-year scholars featuring in Ryan’s Young Lions team from the outset in last month’s commanding 5-0 friendly win over Mexico.
Forward Dike picked up where he left off in the September international break. Having scored a goal in his last appearance for England at U16 level, the young winger was on the scoresheet again against Mexico, earning his side a penalty and converting their second of three spot-kicks.
Sixteen-year-old Dike also came off the bench against Israel and has started five U18 Premier League South fixtures for Lauris Coggin’s side this season, providing one assist in the 2-2 draw away at West Bromwich Albion.
Nwosu, who played minutes in all three of England U17s' friendlies last month against Mexico, Israel and Germany, has started four games so far this season in U18 Premier League South. Nwosu also scored in the 2-0 win over Nottingham Forest in the U18 Premier League Cup in August.
Goalkeeper Awesu started between and kept a clean sheet in the 5-0 win over Mexico, while also featuring in the aforementioned win over Forest.
We will provide regular updates of how our trio are getting on at whufc.com
Full England MU17s Squad
Goalkeepers: Owen Asemota (Aston Villa, Lanre Awesu (West Ham United), Jack Porter (Arsenal)
Defenders: Jun'ai Byfield (Tottenham Hotspur), Malachi Hardy (Tottenham Hotspur), Dante Headley (Manchester City), Bendito Mantato (Manchester United), Freddie Simmonds (Brighton & Hove Albion)
Midfielders: Landon Emenalo (Chelsea), Theo Julienne (Arsenal), Chinaza Nwosu (West Ham United), Anton Palmer (Middlesborough), Lucas Rawlings (Wolverhampton Wanderers)
Strikers: Andre Dike (West Ham United), Max Dowman (Arsenal), Chizaram Ezenwata (Chelsea), Finlay Gorman (Manchester City), Harry Howell (Brighton & Hove Albion), Rio Ngumoha (Liverpool), Igor Tyjon (Blackburn Rovers), Luca Williams-Barnett (Tottenham Hotspur)
