Chelsea midfielder Carnery Chukwuemeka will not join up with the England under-20 World Cup team until the group stage is over, according to the Evening Standard.
The 19-year-old will stay behind at his club as they have two injured players in midfield. The Londoners need him to provide cover.
Chukwuemeka will stay behind at Chelsea, with N’Golo Kante and Mateo Kovacic likely out for the season.
The Croatian international went off during the club’s 2-2 draw with Nottingham Forest this weekend. N’Golo Kante missed the game with a groin injury.
Also, Mason Mount’s participation is doubtful despite returning to the grass days ago. He was training alone and is yet to be fit to join full first-team training.
Due to this shortage in midfield, Chelsea have decided to keep Chukwuemeka around for their remaining games.
They face three tough matches against Manchester United, Manchester City, and Newcastle United.
With Conor Gallagher, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, and Enzo Fernandez contending for a place in the starting XI, Chukwuemeka will likely be a bench option for those games.
Chukwuemeka has delivered a massive blow to the England team. They now have an alarming number of absentees.
Head coach Ian Foster will be frustrated by clubs refusing to let the players join up with the team. And he cannot change his squad now.
Foster was already without Lewis Hall, whom Chelsea kept with Marc Cucurella and Ben Chilwell injured.
Manchester City decided to keep full-back Rico Lewis with Pep Guardiola needing all hands on deck as they challenge on three fronts.
Also, Juventus refused to allow Samuel Iling-Junior to leave. Borussia Dortmund forward Jamie Bynoe-Gittens is out of the squad through a shoulder injury.
Furthermore, Brooke Norton-Cuffy and Aaron Ramsey are in the Championship play-offs and will arrive late.
So will Peterborough United defender Ronnie Edwards. He is in the League One play-offs.