James Garner dreams of making the England squad after strong start to the season

James Garner dreams of playing for England after a strong start to the season with Everton and has admitted that it’s one of his goals for the current campaign.

Garner has been integral for David Moyes’s side so far and has impressed despite being played out of position at full-back in several games. Injuries to Vitalii Mykolenko and Adam Aznou forced Moyes to play him at left-back at the beginning of the season and Garner held his own on the flank.

Moyes has been particularly impressed with Garner’s performances and has backed his player to make it to Thomas Tuchel’s England squad for the FIFA World Cup next year. “I think that's every English boy's dream - to play for the national team. There's a lot of competition and I'm not naive enough to say I should be in the team,” admitted the 24-year-old.

“But at the same time, I do think I've had a good start to the season and ultimately that is my goal for this season, to get there or thereabouts with the England squad.”

While he is yet to play for the England senior national team, Garner has earned England caps at various youth levels. He was a member of Lee Carsley's victorious European Under-21 Championship-winning squad back in 2023.

As mentioned already, Garner has played in a handful of positions so far this season, including the middle of the park as well as on the flanks. Believing that his versatility only strengthens his case for an England call-up, Garner said, “I am very versatile. I can play pretty much every single position - I have played pretty much every single position for this club apart from striker and centre-back!

“That could definitely play in my favour. But ultimately for me, it's just to keep on playing consistently well, winning games on a weekend, showing that I am a natural winner and a half-decent player.”