Harvey Barnes is poised to hand Newcastle United a timely international boost after being called up by Thomas Tuchel as a replacement for the injured Eberechi Eze.
From a Newcastle perspective, the recall underlines just how important Barnes has become in Tyneside and how there will inevitably be some interest in snatching the winger from the club next summer.
The 28-year-old has delivered 14 goals and five assists across 50 appearances this season, missing just one Premier League match and featuring
in all 12 Champions League fixtures. Barnes’ consistency has been central to Newcastle’s heavily-loaded fixture, and his availability has helped Eddie Howe massively.
This will be Barnes’ second senior England call-up and his first since October 2020, when he earned his only cap in a friendly against Wales. Six years on, Barnes is returning to the international stage as a far more complete and proven player.
Most interestingly, the call-up follows interest from the Scotland national football team in snatching him from England’s ranks, with Steve Clarke previously attempting to persuade Barnes to switch allegiance via his maternal grandparents.
The saga seemed to be over before it even started, mind you, as Barnes already declined playing for Scotland, instead choosing to pursue his England ambitions. The Scottish dream feels over for real now.
Tuchel’s upcoming friendlies at Wembley — against Uruguay and Japan — are part of his very particular pre-World Cup evaluation process. Barnes will join a group of 30-plus players competing for final squad places ahead of the tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico, while the final squad for the tournament will have a 26-man limit.
