Cymru is set to face a significant challenge in their Euro 2024 qualifier against Latvia next month, as Leeds winger Daniel James will be sidelined due to an adductor injury. This injury also means that James will miss the friendly match against South Korea four days prior to the Latvia clash, scheduled for September 11.
James, who has earned 45 caps for Cymru, has been a pivotal player for the national team since making his debut in 2018. His absence is a notable setback for Cymru, as he had started 34 consecutive competitive games for the squad before his injury halted this impressive run in November last year.
Cymru manager Rob Page has assembled a 25-man squad for the crucial September double-header, with the aim of reigniting Cymru’s Euro 2024 qualification hopes. The national team faced consecutive defeats against Armenia and Turkey in June, leaving them with a challenging task to secure an automatic qualification spot for the tournament in Germany next summer.
Among the notable inclusions in Page’s squad is Nottingham Forest forward Brennan Johnson, who has been the subject of interest from Tottenham. Additionally, Tom Lockyer makes a return to the squad after a heart scare in May. The Luton captain collapsed just minutes into the Sky Bet Championship play-off final against Coventry at Wembley. After undergoing an operation to address an irregular heartbeat, Lockyer has returned to action and is now leading Luton in their inaugural Premier League campaign.
David Brooks, who scored for Bournemouth in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday, is also part of the squad. His inclusion comes after a significant personal journey, as he returned to action earlier this year following treatment for stage two Hodgkin lymphoma.
Tottenham defender Ben Davies, who missed the 2-0 Euro qualifying defeat to Turkey in June due to the birth of his first child, is back and available for selection.
Page has named four goalkeepers in the squad, but none of them have seen any game-time this season, adding an element of uncertainty to the squad’s preparations.
However, Cymru will be without the services of Kieffer Moore and Joe Morrell in the Latvia qualifier due to suspensions they incurred in June. Both players received two-game bans, with Moore serving the first part of his suspension in Turkey after being sent off against Armenia, and Morrell facing the same fate after seeing red against Turkey in Samsun. They are set to return for the October qualifier against Croatia.
Notable returns to the squad include Bolton midfielder Josh Sheehan, making his first appearance since September 2021, and Wes Burns.
The full Cymru squad for the upcoming matches is as follows: Wayne Hennessey (Nottingham Forest), Danny Ward (Leicester), Adam Davies (Sheffield United), Tom King (Wolves), Ben Davies (Tottenham), Morgan Fox (QPR), Joe Rodon (Leeds, on loan from Tottenham), Ben Cabango (Swansea), Chris Mepham (Bournemouth), Tom Lockyer (Luton), Neco Williams (Nottingham Forest), Connor Roberts (Burnley), Wes Burns (Ipswich), Ethan Ampadu (Leeds), Josh Sheehan (Bolton), Jonny Williams (Birmingham), Joe Morrell (Portsmouth), Harry Wilson (Fulham), Aaron Ramsey (Cardiff, captain), Kieffer Moore (Bournemouth), Nathan Broadhead (Ipswich), Brennan Johnson (Nottingham Forest), David Brooks (Bournemouth), Tom Bradshaw (Millwall), Liam Cullen (Swansea).
