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Ancelotti talks up qualities of Everton man hopeful of England EUROs spot

Carlo Ancelotti admits he is not sure if Ben Godfrey will make it into the England squad for this summer’s EUROs, but has praised him for his displays this season.

Having joined from relegated Norwich last October, Godfrey has been an Everton regular this term. He’s made 36 appearances in all competitions, with 28 of those in the Premier League. His consistent performances have seen him immediately repay some of the £26million fee the Toffees paid for him.

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But they have also seen him included in conversations about who should be in the England squad for the EUROs, which kick-off next month.

Gareth Southgate will confirm his extended 26-man squad for the tournament on 25th May. So with his selections yet to be finalised, Godfrey still has time to force his way in with a strong end to 2020/21.

And while Ancelotti could not call on whether he will make the cut, he did give a glowing review of his first year at Goodison.

“For me I don’t know,” he told PA. “All I have to say was his season was really good, he was a fantastic signing in the summer.

“He did a season with fantastic consistency. He changed position most of the time: he played left-back, right-back, centre-back and he did really well most of the time.

“I don’t know if he will go to the Euros. It’s not my problem, it’s not my decision. I think England has fantastic defenders.

“The opponents (Tyrone) Mings and (Ezri) Konsa were really good (in Thursday’s 0-0 draw with Aston Villa), they are top defenders.

“And I have to say Michael Keane always put in a top performance. All I have to say is Ben Godfrey was a fantastic player this season.”

Ancelotti names top Godfrey asset

The 23-year-old’s versatility, which has allowed him to play across the back four, has earned him plenty of praise.

But that is not his best trait according to his manager, who added:  “He has showed fantastic quality, fantastic defensive ability, is really intelligent – it’s difficult to find him out of position.

“I think the best quality Ben Godfrey has is the speed. He’s really fast, really aggressive without the ball, tactically good, he can play all the positions without any problem.

“He played on the right against Arsenal, (against Villa) he was centre-back. He played two months at left-back. Always good.”

Everton have three fixtures left to play, starting with a home clash with Sheffield United this weekend. Wolves will then visit them on Wednesday, before they finish with a trip to champions Manchester City next Sunday.

READ MORE: Carlo Ancelotti is not ready to give up on Everton’s European ambitions despite the midweek draw with Aston Villa.

 

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