Euro 2024 boost for Cole Palmer & Ollie Watkins? Gareth Southgate reveals coaches’ talks with UEFA over bigger squads

Managers have always been forced to choose a squad of 23 players for major European international competitions, however, teams in the postponed Euro 2020 were put together with 26 players as a precaution against Covid limitations. For this summer's European Championships, though, it has become more and more probable that UEFA will go back to the original 23-man regulation. However, Southgate has revealed that there is a push among coaches to continue with the 26-man eligibility for the European Championship.

Talking to the media, Southgate said [via Daily Mail]: "Increase in squad size for Euro 2024? It seems to be. There is one more UEFA meeting (in a fortnight) where there's been a little bit of talk amongst some of the coaches about possibly increasing that. Given where we are now.

"We've got to make the best decisions with what we know and some of those currently are going to be medical decisions. And we've been able to get those right in the previous tournaments. We've been able to give people time, but with 23 that's definitely more difficult."

The increase in roster size could be a major announcement for fringe players on all national sides as they will get to travel to Germany and have another shot at breaking into their coaches' ideas for the tournament. This could be very good news, particularly for Chelsea winger Cole Palmer and Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins who have been stuck to the fringe of Southgate's squad so far but have been in the conversation for selection for the Euros.

The 53-year-old has claimed that he is still unsure as to which players will be travelling with the England squad due to a line of injuries to key players. He has reportedly set up a loose plan to name an extended squad of around 30 players towards the end of May ahead of the tournament training camp at St George's Park.