Wayne Rooney says it would make sense to call up Danny Welbeck and leave Harry Kane out of the next England squad.
Three Lions boss Thomas Tuchel names his group on Friday for the World Cup qualifiers against Serbia and Albania. England have already qualified and Rooney believes Bayern Munich striker Kane would benefit from a rest while Welbeck is deserving of a recall after six goals in 10 Premier League games for Brighton.
“He scores goals, he works hard, he’s having a purple patch and he’s put himself in a position where Thomas Tuchel will definitely have to look at him,” Rooney said on the latest episode of his podcast The Wayne Rooney Show.
“Behind Harry Kane he is the most in-form England striker. He’s given himself a chance.”
Welbeck hoping to end seven-year absence from England squad
Welbeck has not played for England since 2018 but has put himself back in with a chance of adding to his 42 caps, especially with Kane’s regular deputies Oliver Watkins and Ivan Toney either out of form or out of sight.
Tuchel has made a big play out of choosing players he believes will add to the group dynamic – Jordan Henderson and Dan Burn to name two – and Rooney says Welbeck, who will be 35 when the World Cup comes around next summer, would also fall into that category.
“I’m not saying he would go and accept being on the bench, but Ollie Watkins and players like that who are trying to get in the squad, they are still young enough and want to be pushing Kane for that starting place,” said Rooney of his former Manchester United team-mate.
“A bit like Jordan Henderson, he would use his experience around the players. He’s popular with his team-mates wherever he’s been, but also he has the ability to come on and have an impact.”
Kane needs a rest – Rooney
England made sure of their place in the United States, Canada and Mexico last month with a 5-0 win in Latvia and Rooney thinks it would be sensible to give Kane a break, especially with Bayern challenging in the Bundesliga and Champions League.
Rooney said: “The next couple of England games, I wouldn’t even call Kane up. Give him a rest.
“There are not many opportunities from now until the end of the season when he gets a rest. Let him rest and go and look at Welbeck or Watkins or Ivan Toney. Whoever it is he wants to look at, give these players the opportunity to try and play.”