Ella Toone's return from injury could not have come at a better time for England's Lionesses

When Wiegman revealed her squad for England's last camp, there was a surprise. Erica Parkinson, the 17-year-old playing her club football in Portugal with Valadares Gaia, was included, making her the youngest Lionesses call-up of the Wiegman era.

Part of the reason, of course, was Parkinson's talent. Named Young Player of the Year in the Portuguese top-flight last season, and thriving in England's youth national teams, she was next in line for an opportunity in the senior side as Wiegman continued the trend of looking at the next generation and progressing players through the pathway.

Another reason, though, was the lack of options in the No.10 position at the time, with Wiegman actively looking to expand the depth in the role with the call-up of Parkinson, while acknowledging that it was unlikely she was going to come in and make an immediate mark in a camp that included a clash with Spain.

Sidelined at the time was Toone, but also Grace Clinton, who has not been called-up for this week's games because of a lack of minutes for Manchester City.

"There's a lot of competition going on and I just have not seen enough from her on the pitch," the England boss explained when asked about Clinton's absence. "We all know she's a very gifted player, but I have to see a little bit more from her too."

Meanwhile, Jess Park, another option in there, has been playing out wide for United , while there are concerns about James' fitness that could further deplete Wiegman's options this week.

Toone's return is well-timed, then. The midfielder spent the first four months of 2026 on the sidelines with a hip injury, missing some huge games as United crashed out of the Champions League in the quarter-finals and lost the League Cup final, before their Women's Super League campaign came to an underwhelming end.

She was able to get back on the pitch in those final weeks, making a first start of the year in the draw with Brighton at the start of May before playing 90 minutes for the first time since December 14 in the defeat to Chelsea on the final day of the WSL campaign. The 26-year-old then participated in the World Sevens tournament last week, further sharpening her game before this international break.

Toone is unlikely to be fully fit. Speaking about that in her squad announcement last month, Wiegman was uncertain where the midfielder would be with that match fitness when the international break came. "What I've seen, I think looks good," she added. "Can she play 90 minutes at the highest level? I don't know, but I know she can play."

That much was clear even in the limited action Toone saw at the end of the WSL season. She made two key passes off the bench against Tottenham in late April, in less than half an hour, and showed further promise with her playmaking in the two starts that followed.

With Clinton not selected, Park becoming more of a wide option and James' availability in question, Toone's mere presence is a boost as Friday's clash with Spain looms.

It might be that Wiegman opts to start Lucia Kendall in the midfield again, alongside Keira Walsh and Georgia Stanway. The Aston Villa star got the nod when Spain came to Wembley in April and she justified her selection, putting in a gritty display that earned plenty of praise from her manager. Given Toone's only recent return, that may be the best play.

Wiegman then has the option from the bench to bring on a player who has delivered huge moments on massive occasions for her over the years. This is someone who has scored in a European Championship final, a World Cup semi-final and in the Finalissima. Toone has the ability to make big contributions when it really matters, and Wiegman will be delighted to have her available again as she weighs up a game plan and potential substitutions in a massive fixture.

Toone will be desperate to make her mark, too. She has missed some huge games this year, and told Indivisa during her time on the sidelines just how difficult that was.

"There's so many ups and downs. For me, this season has not been the season that I've wanted, with injuries. As a footballer, all you want to do is play football, so when it's taken away, it is difficult," she said. "It's really difficult to be a spectator and to watch the girls.

"I think in games where you feel like you could make an impact or change a game, it's really hard to sit there and watch. I want to play every minute of every game. I'm itching to get back out there."

That's the hunger Toone will take into this week's England camp, as she makes her return to action at international level and looks to make the sort of mark that could help the Lionesses secure automatic qualification for the 2027 Women's World Cup.