Cherries Striker Ripe For England Selection

Last updated : 30 October 2018 By Three Lions

Callum Wilson staked his claim for a Three Lions call-up with a two-goal salvo at Fulham on Saturday.

Long seen as a potential pick for Gareth Southgate, the 26-year-old took his season’s tally to 5 top-flight goals and, as a regular member of Eddie Howe’s Bournemouth side, is getting more Premier League minutes than many of the other contenders for a striking berth.

If selected Wilson would join another Coventry City academy product, in James Maddison, in gaining senior national team recognition.

Long recognised as a talent in the Sky Blues youth ranks, Wilson was handed his opportunity by then-Coventry boss Steven Pressley towards the end of the 2012/13 season. A potent partnership with the experienced Leon Clarke formed in the first-half of the following campaign.

Level-headed in his approach to the game, Wilson was linked with all of the usual big-name clubs but saw the opportunity of working with Howe in an emerging Bournemouth team and opted for a move to the South Coast in the summer of 2014.

Two serious injuries have slowed his progress since then but he showed on Saturday that they haven't taken away his ability to score goals against top-flight defences.

With a home friendly against the USA to come in the next international break there may be more new faces named in Southgate's squad with the manager having shown himself completely unafraid to pick players regardless of their club or age.