Everton midfielder Leon Osman has been rewarded for his fine start to the season with a first England call up.
The 31-year-old has been named in Roy Hodgson's squad for next week's friendly with Sweden in Stockholm.
Osman's Everton teammates Leighton Baines and Phil Jagielka have also been called up. Osman, a former schoolboy international, has been one of Everton's most consistent performers for a number of years now, and has made more than 300 appearances for the Blues.
Having never represented his country at senior or even Under-21 level, his call up ranks as something of a surprise, yet Osman revealed earlier this year that he would never say never where England were concerned, and his patience looks to have been rewarded.
Source: liverpool echo
Source: liverpool echo