Academy defender Tommy Smith has been named in the England squad for the UEFA European U17 Championships in Belgium in May. Smith has previously won five England U17 caps.

England are in Group B and face Iceland in their first match on May 2nd, with the hosts their opponents two days later. The final group match is against Holland on May 7th. Eurosport are showing the latter two games live.

Two sides from each group go through the semi-finals, with the competition's top five teams automatically qualifying for the FIFA World Cup in Korea in August and September.

There is a possibility that the Blues could withdraw Smith from the party due to the current central defensive injury problems. Boss Jim Magilton has previously said he is keen to give the 17-year-old a run-out in the first team before the end of the season.

Smith opted to play for England, the country of his birth, ahead of New Zealand, where he grew up, earlier this year having received calls from both nations.

England U17s: Jonathan Franks (Middlesbrough), Daniel Gosling (Plymouth Argyle), Henri Lansbury (Arsenal), Joseph Mattock (Leicester City), Victor Moses (Crystal Palace), Rhys Murphy (Arsenal), Seth Nana Ofori-Twumasi (Chelsea), Krystian Pearce (Birmingham City), Tristan Plummer (Bristol City), Nathan Porritt (Middlesbrough), Daniel Rose, (Leeds United), Tommy Smith (Ipswich Town), Alex Smithies (Huddersfield Town), Jordan Spence (West Ham United), Jason Steele (Middlesbrough), Tom Taiwo (Chelsea), Daniel Welbeck (Manchester United), Michael Woods (Chelsea).

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