Ella Toone vs Grace Clinton, Beth Mead vs Chloe Kelly and seven Lionesses selection debates that England boss Sarina Wiegman must answer ahead of Euro 2025

Six months ago, few would've anticipated the centre-back position next to Leah Williamson being up for huge debate. Bright, in the middle of one of her best individual seasons for Chelsea, seemed nailed on to start alongside the England captain, especially with Alex Greenwood's fitness in doubt after she underwent knee surgery in December. Even if Greenwood was to return to action in time, the Manchester City star has struggled to be a regular in Wiegman's XI in the last two years, so most would've banked on the Lionesses going into Euro 2025 with the same centre-back duo that helped deliver the title three years ago.

However, the picture looks quite different now. Shortly after Greenwood returned to action, Bright ruled herself out of the tournament, citing mental and physical fatigue, meaning the occupant of that left centre-back spot is up in the air. Esme Morgan played there against Portugal in late May, with Greenwood taking the spot a few days later in Spain. Jess Carter, Lotte Wubben-Moy and Maya Le Tissier are all centre-backs in the squad too, though the latter is seen more as a right-back by Wiegman.

Greenwood would be the front-runner at this point, but given she felt like that at this point before Euro 2022 only to be left out, nothing is guaranteed.

Slightly intertwined with the uncertainty at centre-back is the lack of clarity at left-back. It has been Niamh Charles' position to lose for a while now, but when the Chelsea star was sidelined during the first half of last season with a shoulder injury, Wiegman opted to try something a little bit different. Against the United States, Greenwood and Carter fluidly interchanged at left centre-back and left-back, given the former came through as a full-back and the latter is capable of playing there.

Charles resumed her duties at left-back when she returned earlier this year, until Wiegman played Carter in the role in the win over Portugal at the end of May. The Gotham defender was impressive, approaching the challenge in a more positive and attacking manner than on previous occasions, though Charles was restored to the XI for the trip to Spain a few days later.

It may all hinge on the centre-back decision, too. If Greenwood wins the job next to Williamson, there might be games where Wiegman opts to deploy Carter on the left in order to have that interchangeable aspect. Equally, there might be games where she prefers to have the more auxiliary full-back approach of Charles. Or, perhaps she will settle on one option and stick with it throughout.

There is no position in Wiegman's XI more up for grabs than the No.10 role. It's a position Ella Toone has long held down, since emerging as a super-sub there at Euro 2022, but she now has serious competition for it from Grace Clinton, her Manchester United team-mate, and Jess Park, the Man City starlet.

It's Park who has started more often in there in recent games, though amid Toone nursing a knock and Clinton occupying a deeper role while Georgia Stanway was recovering from knee surgery. Now that Stanway is back, while Clinton could still be used as an impact sub in that No.8 role, her best chance of starting regularly at Euro 2025 is certainly as an attacking midfielder.

Lauren James may also be in the mix, if indeed she is fit to play a part after a recent hamstring issue. It was as a No.10 that the Chelsea forward really shone at the 2023 Women's World Cup and although that did come in a 3-5-2 formation, she is still a potential option.

The position on the right of England's front three might not be much of a debate if indeed James is ready to go when Euro 2025 begins. If that turns out to be the case, many will expect the Chelsea star to start most games, if not all, on the right, with Lauren Hemp likely doing the same on the left. However, there are a lot of 'ifs' being used here.

Also in contention to start on both sides are Chloe Kelly and Beth Mead. Both prefer to be used on the right and are arguably at their most effective there, while the uncertainties around James mean there is likely to be more opportunity to stake a place to start on that flank, as opposed to being more of a regular sub to relieve Hemp on the left.

After signing for Arsenal on loan in January, Kelly enjoyed a fantastic second half of the season, so much so that it often reduced Mead to a bench role in the big moments. However, Mead still started often enough and was able to produce her magic, most notably with her match-winning assist in the Champions League final. It's hard to say either is ahead of the other in the pecking order.

When England won their European title back in 2022, their substitutes were a big reason why. Toone, Kelly and Alessia Russo were all incredibly effective off the bench, scoring huge goals and providing massive moments to propel the Lionesses to glory. In the three years since, during which all three of those players have been absorbed into the starting XI on a more regular basis, Wiegman has struggled to find a formula like that again with her replacements.

It's not like she lacks the options to do so. Given the number of players competing for those spots out wide and in the No.10 role, there are going to be some top talents on the bench this summer, alongside two exciting young strikers in Aggie Beever-Jones and Michelle Agyemang. But the England boss needs to figure out what the best situations are for those players to come into, in terms of who is on the pitch around them, and how she can allow those substitutes to be as effective as possible when they enter the fray.

It's something she perfected in 2022 and it feels important if there is to be success in 2025.

Shortly before half-time during England's second group game at the 2023 Women's World Cup, there was serious concern as Keira Walsh was stretchered off in tears with a knee injury. Fortunately, as it transpired, the problem was not as severe an issue as it first appeared. Walsh missed the next game, a 6-1 thrashing of China, and was back by the knockout rounds to help the Lionesses reach the final. Disaster avoided. However, if for any reason she was to miss a game at Euro 2025, it's unclear just how England would cope with that.

In 2023, Laura Coombs, regularly a deeper midfielder, replaced Walsh when she had to be withdrawn. When the Lionesses had to face China without her, meanwhile, then-Manchester United No.6 Katie Zelem deputised brilliantly. Jordan Nobbs, another player capable of occupying the same role, was also in that squad. For Euro 2025, there is no one other than Walsh in the squad who has been used as a holding midfielder in recent times, for club or country.

So what is the contingency plan if Walsh picks up a knock or a suspension? Neither is beyond the realm of possibility, after all. Is there a centre-back who can step in and play there? Would Stanway be the solution, having been trialled as that a few years back now, but never since? Would Wiegman instead opt to change formation to mask the lack of cover? That's something the England boss has to think about before the tournament begins.

Another contingency plan is needed in between the sticks. Earps' decision to retire from international football leaves the Lionesses without any major tournament experience in the goalkeeper unit, and behind No.1 Hannah Hampton, there is literally not a cap in sight. If Hampton was to be absent for any reason - and injuries and suspensions are always possible - either Anna Moorhouse or Khiara Keating would come on, in a huge moment, for their senior England debut.

Who would Wiegman turn to in that situation? Would she look at Keating, the 20-year-old who has bags of raw talent but can be erratic at times? Or would it be Moorhouse, 10 years Keating's senior who arguably has a higher floor, though a lower ceiling? It will be a situation that Wiegman hopes doesn't happen as it would mean losing her No.1 goalkeeper for some reason, but she has to consider that it is possible and figure out who that second-choice shot-stopper is going to be.