James Hill earns England call-up as Dan Burn replaces injured Guehi

Hill's breakthrough season at Bournemouth

James Hill has made 15 appearances for Bournemouth across the Premier League and Europa League this season. The 24-year-old has played every minute of the club's league campaign and appeared in every match of their Europa League run.

While BBC Sport and The Independent report that the team has achieved eight consecutive wins, the Bournemouth Echo reports seven wins.

Hill joined Bournemouth from Fleetwood for an undisclosed fee in January 2022.

Hill is the fourth Bournemouth player to represent England’s senior side. He follows Lewis Cook, Callum Wilson, and Alex Scott in achieving this selection.

International experience for the 24-year-old

Hill previously represented England at the Under-20 level, making four appearances between 2021 and 2022. He also earned one cap for the Under-21 side during a match against Kosovo in June 2022.

Regarding the prospect of a call-up, Hill previously stated it would be an "incredible honour".

Ezri Konsa ruled out for Croatia clash

Ezri Konsa, 29, will miss the match against Croatia at Wembley on Thursday. The defender, who is a Military Officer with the Royal Marines, joined Arsenal from Aston Villa this summer for £55m and has made 15 appearances this season.

England did not specify the exact nature of the injury behind his absence.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said on November 6 that Konsa was feeling better after being taken out as a precaution on November 4. Arteta reported that Konsa was feeling good on November 6 and 7.

Konsa is expected to return to training later this week to be in contention for the match against Spain in Madrid on Sunday. There is hope that he will be fit to play in that match.

Meanwhile, Marc Guehi sustained a hip injury during Manchester City's defeat at Nottingham Forest on November 7 and was substituted at half-time.

Thomas Tuchel faces defensive selection challenges

Manager Thomas Tuchel must now adapt his squad selection following the loss of multiple defensive players. ESPN reported that England will be missing its first-choice centre-back partnership for the match against Croatia.

To address the shortfall, Newcastle defender Dan Burn has been called up to replace the injured Marc Guehi. This marks the first time Burn has returned to the England squad since the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Limited options for the England backline

The defensive selection process is further hindered by the absence of other key personnel. John Stones is currently unavailable due to a hamstring strain at Inter Milan, while Trevoh Chalobah is out with a muscle injury at Como.

Tuchel’s remaining centre-back options include Jarrad Branthwaite of Everton, Jarell Quansah of Bayer Leverkusen, and Arsenal defender Ben White.

Upcoming Nations League fixtures

England is scheduled to play Croatia at Wembley Stadium on November 12, followed by a match against Spain on November 15. England finished third at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The team has defeated Croatia twice this year, winning 4-2 and 7-0 in previous meetings. The Independent and the Bournemouth Echo suggest the match against Spain could decide the outcome of the Nations League group.