As England aim to build on their 2022 European Championship triumph and run to this year’s Women’s World Cup final, the next generation of Lionesses stars are emerging.
In her squad for October’s Women’s Nations League double header against Belgium, head coach Sarina Wiegman gave first call-ups to some new faces and welcomed back bright talents who narrowly missed out on a seat on the plane to Australia.
Telegraph Sport runs through five Lionesses stars in waiting.
Khiara Keating
Position : Goalkeeper
Club: Manchester City
Aged just 19, Keating has burst onto the scene this season after starting all four of Manchester City’s Women’s Super League fixtures and keeping three clean sheets. She has won that starting spot ahead of her team-mates Ellie Roebuck and Sandy MacIver, and her first senior England call-up has quickly followed.
“I’m always going to be grateful to Gareth [Taylor, Manchester City head coach] for giving me the chance to show what I’m about,” said Keating, who described being in the Lionesses camp as “surreal”. She added: “He said in pre-season that it’s going to be a clean slate, and I’m just grateful that he’s given me an opportunity and now I’m here.”
While Wiegman is highly likely to continue with No1 Mary Earps, this camp provides invaluable experience for Keating and she appears to have settled in well. Esme Morgan, her England and Manchester City team-mate, says: “She’s such a bubbly character, everyone absolutely loves having her around, she’s bonkers. She’s by far the loudest in the dressing room and has been since she came into the first team. She’s never shy in any environment, just full of life and energy.
“I said to her, ‘Don’t feel cautious or nervous coming into it because everyone absolutely loves the character that you are’. She’s so talented and she’s deserving of these opportunities.”
Grace Clinton
Position: Midfielder
Club: Tottenham Hotspur, on loan from Manchester United
She helped Bristol City win promotion to the WSL last term with six Championship goals while on loan from Manchester United and has hit the ground running in the top flight on another loan spell, this time with Tottenham.
Clinton says she wanted a loan move this summer to gain “experience and confidence” and adds: “Since I joined Tottenham, that’s all the manager has given me: confidence. Confidence to express myself and be me. I’m really enjoying life in London, Tottenham, my team-mates, the manager. I’m really feeling myself, and I like that.”
Asked about being called up by Wiegman, the 20-year-old said “just wow”.
Maya Le Tissier
Position: Defender
Club : Manchester United
Not a newcomer, having made her senior England debut last November, but still developing rapidly aged 21. Le Tissier narrowly missed out on selection for the World Cup squad after being a regular in Wiegman’s squad last season and ever-present for her club.
Predominantly a centre-back for Manchester United, but also capable of playing at full-back and as a holding midfielder, Le Tissier – who is no relation to Southampton legend Matt – will be hoping to add to her two England caps to date.
Team-mate Earps has said of Le Tissier: “You can see the levels Maya can hit and where she can get to, and she’s got plenty of time on her side. She’s in a really good spot.
“Maya’s performances do her justice every time. She’s an important part of the United defence and she’s breaking into this [England] squad regularly now. I know how hard-working she is and how she wants to improve and keep developing, and I’ve no doubt she’ll do that.”
Jess Park
Position: Attacking midfielder/winger
Club: Manchester City
A shoulder injury ruled 22-year-old Park out of contention for the World Cup after a solid season on loan at Everton, but she is now back with her parent club Manchester City and part of head coach Taylor’s plans.
Taylor says of Park: “She’s bright, intelligent and really quick with her feet. She’s got that ability to play in various roles for us.
“She’s really intelligent for a young player, and she wants to improve. She’s young but with a lot of experience for a young player.”
Park scored her first Lionesses goal just a minute into her senior debut after coming on as a late substitute in a 4-0 friendly victory over Japan in November and now has four caps to her name.
Aggie Beever-Jones
Position: Forward
Club : ** Chelsea
Several players in Emma Coates’s England Under-23s side, the final rung of the youth international ladder in women’s football, are also on the cusp of senior call-ups.
Chief amongst those on current club form is 20-year-old Beever-Jones, who scored her first goal for Chelsea in their 4-2 victory over Brighton earlier in October.
She has been included in Chelsea’s first-team plans this season, after loan spells with Bristol City and Everton, and her manager Emma Hayes says: “She stretches teams, she gets in behind. She’s talented.
“She has some work to do to know when to press and where to press, all of that detail, but she’s always in our offices asking for analysis.”
