Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford will be named in Gareth Southgate's England squad on Thursday for the upcoming games against Germany and Lithuania due to growing concerns over the fitness of Wayne Rooney and Harry Kane's absence due to damaged ankle ligaments.
Rashford, 19, had been pencilled in for this month's under-21 fixtures against Germany and Denmark in order to prepare for the summer European U21 Championships in Poland with Aidy Boothroyd's team.
But sources have told ESPN FC that, with Kane joining Daniel Sturridge on the sidelines with injury and captain Rooney once again ruled out of action at United, England manager Southgate has opted to select the youngster for the doubleheader -- a friendly against the Germans on March 22 and a World Cup qualifier versus Lithuania on March 26.
Jamie Vardy, Theo Walcott and Danny Welbeck are expected to be the other three strikers in Southgate's squad, although Rooney could yet join the group if Southgate is convinced that the 31-year-old will be fit to challenge for selection against Lithuania at Wembley.
Rooney, who made just one United appearance in almost six weeks, has been ruled out of Thursday's Europa League tie against FC Rostov at Old Trafford with a knee problem.
Despite naming Rashford in his squad, Southgate remains determined to see the player travel to Poland with the under-21s in the summer.
Southgate is a huge admirer of the teenager, who scored a hat trick on his one previous appearance for the U21s against Norway last September.
The England manager is keen for Boothroyd to have as strong a squad as possible in Poland, however, and believes that playing in the tournament will accelerate Rashford's development at international level.
Meanwhile, Tottenham midfielder Harry Winks will be named in Boothroyd's U21 squad after the FA discovered that there is no issue with the player being eligible for Spain following reports of Spanish ancestry.