Jude Bellingham has missed out on an England call-up despite a return to fitness and action for Real Madrid.
Bellingham had missed two months of game time as he underwent surgery on an underlying shoulder injury but had returned to action for Real.
But on Friday he was the surprise omission from Thomas Tuchel’s squad named on Friday morning for games this month against Wales and Latvia.
It comes just two days after he was named England’s player of the year for the 2024/25 season by public vote.
Bellingham came off the bench for Real in the Champions League in midweek and has appeared in three La Liga games since his return, starting in last weekend's 5-2 defeat to city rivals Atletico Madrid.
Jack Grealish has enjoyed a stellar start to life at Everton since making his loan move from Manchester City, but, just as in September, he has been overlooked for a re-call, and Phil Foden is also not included despite being back among the goals for City.
England face Wales at Wembley in a friendly on October 9 before travelling to Riga for a World Cup qualifier against Latvia on October 14.
Bukayo Saka and returns after missing out last month, but there is no Cole Palmer or Noni Madueke with the Chelsea and Arsenal players missing out through injuries of their own.
Ruben Loftus-Cheek of AC Milan was brought out of seven years in the international wilderness as a late call-up last month and is selected again.
John Stones had to drop out of the September squad but is back in this month.
Also omitted is Adam Wharton, who has yet to play under Tuchel. The Crystal Palace midfielder’s only cap came under Gareth Southgate. Selected last month, he had to drop out after suffering a fresh injury and he has not been re-called.
Tino Livramento of Newcastle is injured so does not feature.
“Why not bring the same group in, because they set the same standards,” Tuchel said in a video on the FA website. “Now it is about setting the standards out of it.
“We have two injuries with Tino and Noni, and we bring Bukayo Saka in to replace Noni and Jarell Quansah was a late call up last time. He will stay in camp.”
England squad in full
Goalkeepers: Dean Henderson (Crystal Palace), Jordan Pickford (Everton), James Trafford (Manchester City)
Defenders: Dan Burn (Newcastle United), Marc Guehi (Crystal Palace), Reece James (Chelsea), Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa), Myles Lewis-Skelly (Arsenal), Jarell Quansah (Bayer Leverkusen), Djed Spence (Tottenham Hotspur), John Stones (Manchester City)
Midfielders: Elliot Anderson (Nottingham Forest), Morgan Gibbs-White (Nottingham Forest), Jordan Henderson (Brentford), Ruben Loftus-Cheek (AC Milan), Declan Rice (Arsenal), Morgan Rogers (Aston Villa)
Forwards: Jarrod Bowen (West Ham United), Eberechi Eze (Arsenal), Anthony Gordon (Newcastle United), Harry Kane (Bayern Munich), Marcus Rashford (Barcelona, loan from Manchester United), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa)
