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Chelsea skipper Gary Cahill has been dropped from England’s squad for their international friendly matches against the Netherlands and Italy.

Rather England boss Gareth Southgate has given call-ups to uncapped quartet Nick Pope, James Tarkowski, Lewis Cook and Alfie Mawson, with the World Cup in Russia less than three months away.

Asked about Cahill’s absence, Southgate explained: “Tarkowski and Mawson are players you want to look at for now and beyond the summer.

“Want to see [Eric] Dier in a back three, too. It’s a very difficult call because Gary has played a lot of qualifiers and is a great guy.”