Football
ESPN staff 9y

Charlie Austin and Tom Cleverley set for England call-ups - sources

Queens Park Rangers striker Charlie Austin is set to be handed his first England call-up for the upcoming games against Republic of Ireland and Slovenia, while Tom Cleverley is in line for a return, sources have told ESPN FC.

England boss Roy Hodgson is to name his squad on Thursday for the friendly with Republic of Ireland in Dublin on July 7 and the Euro 2014 qualifier with Slovenia seven days later, and Austin is to be rewarded for his fine form this season with his maiden call-up.

The QPR star has scored 17 goals in his debut campaign in the Premier League to make him the second highest top goal-scoring Englishman in the league behind Harry Kane.

The former Burnley striker is set to benefit from Kane not being available for the games against Ireland and Slovenia, with the Tottenham striker expected to be named in Gareth Southgate's squad for the European Under-21 Championship this summer.

Hodgson is also without Daniel Sturridge for the two games next month as the Liverpool striker recovers from hip surgery and he will turn to Austin and hand the 25-year-old the chance to stake a claim for a regular place in the squad.

Hodgson has watched Austin in action on several occasions and has been impressed by his showings in a struggling side.

Austin's inclusion in the squad will cap a meteoric rise, considering he was still playing semi-professional football just six years ago with Poole Town.

As well as Austin, Aston Villa loanee Cleverley is expected to earn a recall to the squad after finding his best form in recent weeks.

The midfielder, whose Manchester United contract expires this summer, has scored three goals in his last four games for Villa and helped them secure their Premier League status.

Hodgson is a big admirer of Cleverley having handed him his debut for England and he watched him in action in last weekend's defeat to Southampton.

Cleverley has not played for England since starting in a 1-0 friendly defeat to Germany in 2013 and was left out of last summer's World Cup squad, but Villa boss Tim Sherwood has given Hodgson glowing reports on the midfielder's progress in recent months.

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