Injured Sterling Withdraws from England Squad

Manchester City forward, Raheem Sterling, has withdrawn from the England squad for their matches against Spain and Switzerland due to a back injury.

In a written statement, the Football Association said: “Raheem Sterling has withdrawn from the squad due to a problem with his back, with no immediate replacement planned.”

The 23-year-old forward had reportedly been in excellent form during the current Premier League season. He scored in the Citizens’ 2-1 victory over Newcastle on Sunday.

However, Sterling was the only absentee when the England squad reported for duty at St George’s Park on Monday.

Sterling is set for tests this week to determine the extent of his injury.

This leaves manager Gareth Southgate with a squad of only 22 players. There are currently no plans to replace Sterling.

England opens their UEFA Nations League campaign against Spain this weekend, on Saturday 8 September, at Wembley Stadium in London.

The Three Lions will then play Switzerland in a friendly match on Tuesday, 9 September, at King Power Stadium in Leicester.